DeMarcus Lawrence

DeMarcus Lawrence

31-Year-Old Defensive EndDE
Dallas Cowboys
2023 Fantasy Outlook
After an injury-plagued 2021, Lawrence played all 17 games last season and recorded a career high in tackles (65) with six sacks. The 31-year-old no longer is the preeminent pass rusher in Dallas and hasn't recorded double-digit sacks since 2018, but Lawrence still is a threat off the edge that offenses need to account for, providing a solid complement to Micah Parsons. With 5.5 more sacks, Lawrence will reach 60 for his career and move into fourth place on the Cowboys' all-time list. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#Subscriber-Only
IDP
$Signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Cowboys in March of 2022.
Quiet season off edge
DEDallas Cowboys
January 30, 2024
Lawrence recorded 50 tackles (29 solo) including 4.0 sacks while adding six passes defended and a forced fumble over 17 regular-season games in 2023.
ANALYSIS
The veteran defensive end played every game for the second straight campaign, but Lawrence just doesn't have the ability to get to the quarterback the way he used to. He would carry a dead cap hit of over $20 million if he were released this offseason, so Lawrence will likely return to Dallas in 2024, but he's nothing more than a depth piece in a pass rush led by Micah Parsons at this stage of his career.
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Dallas CowboysCowboys 2023 DE Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

60856%
44541%
30528%
29527%
25924%
303%
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2023 DeMarcus Lawrence Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do DeMarcus Lawrence's measurables compare to other defensive ends?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 3"
 
Weight
265 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.80 sec
 
Shuttle Time
4.31 sec
 
Cone Drill
7.46 sec
 
Vertical Jump
34.5 in
 
Broad Jump
113 in
 
Bench Press
20 reps
 
Hand Length
11.00 in
 
Arm Length
33.75 in
 
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
The veteran edge rusher suited up for only seven games in 2021, but Lawrence still showed flashes of his old form with three sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. When he's healthy, the 30-year-old can be disruptive, and he'll have the benefit of not always being the offense's top blocking priority with Micah Parsons roaming around behind or alongside him. Lawrence hasn't had a double-digit sack season since 2018, however, making him tough to roster in most IDP formats.
Lawrence's floor and ceiling both are likely harmed by his modest workload — Dallas has aimed to keep him at or below 700 snaps per season his whole career — but on a per-play basis he's one of the league's better defensive ends, and he should have ample pass-rushing opportunities if Dallas' offense remains uptempo and high-scoring. Now in his second season healthy from a shoulder surgery before the 2019 season, Lawrence should be in position for his best IDP output in roughly three years, especially if he plays more snaps with Aldon Smith and Everson Griffen gone.
Lawrence took a back seat to Robert Quinn in the Dallas pass rush last season, a disappointing return on the first year of the mammoth contract extension he received in April. There were extenuating circumstances, however, as his recovery from shoulder surgery kept him sidelined through camp and may have impacted his fitness level and ability to handle the consistent double teams he faces. Lawrence recorded a decent 4.5 sacks through the first eight games of 2019 but faded down the stretch with only half a sack in the second half, resulting in the lowest total over a full 16 games in his career. The 28-year-old should be healthy right out of the gate this time around, and a return to double-digit sacks seems like a safe bet. However, the Cowboys will need him to step back up with Quinn now in Chicago and only reclamation projects Aldon Smith and Randy Gregory coming in to give Lawrence support.
Offseason shoulder surgery figures to take Lawrence's recovery to Week 1 - drop him lower if risk is a concern. Lawrence is the kind of rare pass rusher who could hit double-digit sacks even if he misses a few games - his 25 sacks the last two years occurred on just 1,439 snaps, a rate that translates to about 16 sacks on a 950-snap projection. He piles up tackles at a healthy rate, too, offering a 60-tackle baseline even while playing fewer than 750 snaps. Lawrence is capable of finishing first among DL IDPs, though probably not in his first year back from surgery.
It's fair to worry a bit when a player breaks out in a contract year, but Lawrence's ascent correlates just fine with the skills growth that was projected all along, so it's probably best to presume this is merely a case where a 25-year-old prospect turned a corner in his development. If injuries hadn't messed up his 2016 season, when he posted just one sack after finishing the prior season with eight, then no one would have found anything surprising about Lawrence totaling 14.5 sacks last year. Lawrence probably can't approach the top tier and plenty of young guns are on his heels, but it's hard to see how Lawrence disappoints if healthy.
Big things were expected from Lawrence last year after he racked up eight sacks and 55 tackles in 2015, but a suspension and back injury limited him to nine ineffective performances instead. January back surgery -- the second straight offseason in which he's gone under the knife to correct back problems -- could finally restore him to full health, but heading into his fourth NFL season, Lawrence can no longer be considered a secure foundation piece for any future Cowboys success in the pass rush.
After failing to record a sack as a rookie, Lawrence stepped up with a team-leading eight in 2015 and seems poised to provide the Cowboys with the impact pass rusher they've been lacking since DeMarcus Ware left town. A four-game suspension for a violation of the league's drug policy will sideline him for the first month of the season, but once Lawrence returns to action he might still have enough time to lead the team in sacks once again given Dallas' lack of established options at defensive end.
Lawrence was a second-round pick last year after 10.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss in his final season at Boise State, but a broken foot in summer sidelined him most of the year. He impressed when he returned, posting a sack in each of Dallas' two playoff games. An athletic player with the ability to bend the edge, Lawrence steps into a lead role on the Dallas defense this year. He's unproven, but he will be the Cowboys' best defensive end (perhaps even best lineman) while Greg Hardy is suspended the first 10 games.
The Cowboys traded up to the top of the second round to grab Lawrence as their newest pass-rush threat off the edge, but without an established veteran sacker to take some pressure off Lawrence he could find it tough to make a big impact as a rookie. Lawrence has the physical tools to be a constant thorn in the sides of opposition QBs once he gets his feet wet, but a foot injury in camp badly slowed his development and will delay his pro debut until the second half of the season.
More Fantasy News
Eight tackles in defeat
DEDallas Cowboys
December 19, 2023
Lawrence recorded eight tackles (seven solo) and also forced a fumble in Sunday's 31-10 loss to the Bills.
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Logs sack versus Carolina
DEDallas Cowboys
November 21, 2023
Lawrence registered three tackles (one solo), including a sack, in Dallas' 33-10 win over the Panthers on Sunday.
ANALYSIS
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Five tackles, sack in loss
DEDallas Cowboys
September 26, 2023
Lawrence recorded five tackles, including a sack, in Sunday's 28-16 loss to the Cardinals.
ANALYSIS
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Notches first 2023 sack
DEDallas Cowboys
September 11, 2023
Lawrence recorded a sack in Sunday's 40-0 win over the Giants.
ANALYSIS
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Career-high tackle total
DEDallas Cowboys
January 31, 2023
Lawrence recorded a career-high 65 tackles (43 solo), including six sacks, through 17 regular-season games in 2022. He added three passes defended, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown Week 5 against the Rams.
ANALYSIS
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