*Editor's note: The following article was originally published Feb. 13. With DeMarcus Lawrence and the Cowboys agreeing to a five-year, $105 million contract on Friday, we're bringing this back for your reading pleasure.
The only things preventing Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence from entering free agency -- where the fifth-year end would be free to join another team -- are the franchise tag, which would pay him over $20 million in 2019, or a massive contract extension that would make him one of the highest-paid ends in the NFL.
With the value of quarterbacks skyrocketing, the value of the players tasked with pressuring the signal-callers has appreciated at an astronomical rate as well.