The only thing Jerry Jones made sure last offseason was to bring back all the key players that helped the team reach the playoffs. But with one of the team’s most valuable pass rushers looming as a free agent, he’ll have to decide what’s most important.

DeMarcus Lawrence will be a free agent after the end of the 2024 season. And at 32 years old, Jones will have to decide if he’s worth bringing back. Lawrence only played in four games and the team had to learn how to play without his presence.

Because of that and the money it’s going to cost him to bring back, it’s probably not worth it. And remember, Jones still has to pay Micah Parsons. This would free up ceiling space for more wiggle room.

But Laurent nor was it as destructive as it was in its early years. Although he has played a full season in all but two of the last eight seasons, he has not recorded more than 10 bags in one season since 2018.

On top of that, when Lawrence went down, Jones said that instead of making a costly trade, he opted to develop the younger pass rushers.

This is an opportunity for him to show that the development of this season will bear fruit next year.

Lawrence was injured for most of the season, playing in only four games due to a foot injury. With Dallas’ season practically finished, he’s unlikely to play again in 2024. So with that in mind, the fact that Micah Parsons needs a long-term contract and DeMarvion Overshown has shown his potential, it’s worth- Is it worth spending money on Lawrence?

The Cowboys need some real help and depth in the pass rush. Bringing back Lawrence wouldn’t necessarily cover that. Not counting 2024, the previous two seasons he played in all 17 games each year and totaled 10 sacks overall.

For reference, it was 58th in his sack total in 2022 And 117th in 2023. It’s not worth bringing back. If the Cowboys are that desperate, they can look to the draft for reinforcements. They did it in 2020 when they grabbed Micah Parsons.

But re-signing Lawrence seems like a waste of money. They need more help than an aging Lawrence. Let him go to a team like Baltimore or Detroit where there will be a lot less pressure for him to look like he did in his prime.