- The Washington Times - Monday, March 5, 2018

The Dallas Cowboys will use their 2018 franchise tag on defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, according to ESPN.

Lawrence was drafted 34th overall in 2014 but first made an impact in 2015, racking up eight sacks and a forced fumble. After a down year in 2016 while playing through a back injury, Lawrence improved again and surprised many by registering 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries for Dallas.

With his rookie contract expiring, the Cowboys were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term deal for the edge rusher and tagged him instead. The tag will be worth roughly $17 million, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.

In two games against the Washington Redskins in 2017, Lawrence sacked Kirk Cousins three times.

• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.

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