Demarcus Lawrence

Career StatsB-

Year	Team	GP	Sacks	Tkl	TFL
Career		157	67.5	503	82.5
2025		16	6.0	53	9.5
2024		4	3.0	14	1
2023		17

Current Contract

Contract Value Index (CVI)

The Seahawks landed a solid value play by securing DeMarcus Lawrence at $10.8M AAV, earning a B- CVI that reflects smart opportunistic spending on a proven pass rusher. Lawrence remains a solid starter who can consistently generate pressure, and his salary sits in that sweet spot where Seattle gets legitimate production without breaking the bank or committing franchise-defining money. At 32, he's clearly in the veteran phase of his career, but edge rushers can maintain effectiveness well into their 30s when properly managed, and the three-year term gives Seattle flexibility to reassess as his skills inevitably decline. The $13M guaranteed represents reasonable downside protection — enough to secure Lawrence's commitment without creating devastating dead money if injuries or age catch up faster than expected. This signing addresses Seattle's pass rush needs with a reliable contributor who won't demand double-teams but can capitalize when opponents focus their protection schemes elsewhere, giving the Seahawks a professional, low-maintenance veteran presence at a position where competent starters often command premium prices.

Performance Analysis

DeMarcus Lawrence arrives in Seattle as a 12-year veteran and one of the more decorated pass rushers of his generation, a former Dallas Cowboys cornerstone who built his reputation on relentless motor and high-end production across more than 150 career games. Now 33 and entering the back half of his career, Lawrence earns a B- grade this season — a modest but meaningful uptick from back-to-back C+ grades in both 2023 and 2024, suggesting he still has something left in the tank even as his overall ceiling has naturally compressed with age. He no longer profiles as a weekly game-wrecker, but his experience, technique, and situational value make him a legitimate contributor on a Seattle defensive front that needs every edge it can manufacture. The most compelling number in Lawrence's current profile is his tackles for loss rate of 0.59 per game, which clears the elite threshold of 0.58 and ranks him among the league's most disruptive run defenders at the point of attack — a testament to his ability to penetrate gaps and create negative plays even when the sack column isn't filling up. His sack rate of 0.38 per game sits slightly above the NFL average of 0.34, which is functional production but a far cry from the elite benchmark of 0.68 that separates true edge difference-makers from complementary pieces. The gap between those two numbers tells the real story: Lawrence is winning at the line of scrimmage with leverage and instincts, but converting that disruption into quarterback takedowns with the consistency he once did in Dallas has become the central challenge of his late career. At 33, the trajectory for Lawrence is about sustainable impact rather than resurgence, and the improvement from consecutive C+ seasons to a B- in 2025 is the kind of quiet stabilization that should give Seattle cautious optimism heading into next year. Watch for whether his TFL dominance continues to translate into sack production as the season deepens — if those numbers converge, he could quietly push toward a B grade and cement himself as one of the more cost-effective veteran moves in the NFC West.

Current Sentiment

DeMarcus Lawrence enters the 2026 season with a quietly resurgent narrative, widely credited as a difference-maker on a Seahawks defense that has drawn league-wide attention for its cohesion and effectiveness. Head coach Mike Macdonald's public endorsement of Lawrence's return carries significant weight, signaling organizational trust in a veteran who has navigated multiple roster transitions throughout his career. The framing of Lawrence as a 'told-you-so' story reflects a media sentiment that he has exceeded expectations after his move to Seattle, lending him a redemptive arc that resonates with both analysts and fans. At 12 years of experience and with 67.5 career sacks, Lawrence brings proven pass-rush credentials that give the Seahawks a credible veteran presence on the edge, even if his peak statistical years are behind him. The overall perception heading into 2026 is cautiously optimistic — a respected veteran on a team trending upward, with the coaching staff and media aligned in viewing him as a meaningful contributor rather than a roster afterthought.