Report: DeMarcus Lawrence seeking $22.5M per season

The price for DeMarcus Lawrence just went up.

The defensive end went from asking for an average annual salary of $20 million to $22.5 million on a long-term deal with the Dallas Cowboys, sources told Calvin Watkins of The Athletic.

Dallas used its franchise tag on the star defender for the second consecutive year but has been in talks with Lawrence on an extension after he declined to sign the tag. Nothing has materialized as of yet and Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones admitted this week that the team and player are at an impasse.

Lawrence is putting off undergoing shoulder surgery and won't attend team activities until he inks a long-term agreement, according to Watkins.

The franchise tag would pay Lawrence $20.5 million for the 2019 season, making him the highest-paid 4-3 defensive end in the NFL.