FRISCO, Texas -- Starting Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys can place the franchise tag on DeMarcus Lawrence, but there is no need for them to use it now.
If the Cowboys are not able to secure a long-term deal with Lawrence by March 6, they will place the franchise tag on their Pro Bowl defensive end, and it will cost them roughly $17.5 million in salary-cap space.
"Our first goal is to sign him to a long-term deal,” executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters last month at the Senior Bowl. "To me, the only reason you use a franchise tag is to hopefully protect yourself if you can't get a long-term deal signed that you like.