For the Cowboys, making this move makes sense. They used the time leading up to then to try to get a long-term contract worked out with Lawrence. When those efforts didn't result in a new deal, they did what they had to prior to the franchise-tag deadline at the end of the day Tuesday. There was no way they could let him enter free agency following a 14.5-sack season.
Lawrence also wasn't going to budge. He clearly didn't get the contract numbers he hoped for and wasn't going to settle for less. As a result, the Cowboys will guarantee at least the one-year, roughly $17 million tender for 2018 and keep Lawrence off the market for now.