FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys needed to sign DeMarcus Lawrence.
They needed Lawrence because as they found out after releasing DeMarcus Ware after the 2014 season, "war daddies," as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones affectionately calls pass-rushers, do not grow on trees. And so they did, agreeing to a five year, $105 million deal with $65 million, according to a source.
The Cowboys traded up in the second round with an NFC East rival, the Washington Redskins, to take Lawrence with the 34th overall pick in 2014. The move did not pay immediate dividends -- Lawrence did not have a regular-season sack as a rookie, but he led the team in sacks in 2015, struggled with a back injury that required two surgeries in 2016, and recorded a combined 25 sacks in 2017 and '18.