The drama surrounding the Micah Parsons extension negotiations during the offseason, which led to a trade with the Green Bay Packers, has hovered over the Dallas Cowboys throughout the 2025 campaign. Parsons wasn’t the only loss of significance, though, especially on defense. Before the Cowboys' defense spiraled into one of the worst units in the league, a few key departures foreshadowed what was to come. The losses of cornerback Jourdan Lewis (Jacksonville Jaguars) and defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence (Seattle Seahawks) have impacted the team.
The latter, in particular, however, embodies exactly what is wrong with the franchise at this point.
Lawrence’s split with the Cowboys was an ugly one. In March, Lawrence signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Seahawks, ending his 11-year tenure with the Cowboys. After his departure, Lawrence explained his decision, one that didn’t sit well with fans and former teammates, including Parsons.
“Dallas is my home…but I know for sure I’m not gonna win a Super Bowl there,” Lawrence said in an interview shortly after his signing.
Whether you love or hate America’s Team, this is petty. Ironically, Parsons was the member of the roster who went on the defensive for his now-former team, calling out Lawrence on X, which led to a brief back-and-forth between the two. Little did Cowboys fans know they would ultimately lose both of the star defensive players.
Cowboys fans trolled Lawrence at the time of the comments because, quite frankly, people didn’t expect the Seahawks to be this good. However, ten weeks in, Lawrence has proved he made the right decision.
Lawrence is coming off arguably the best game of his career, returning two fumbles for touchdowns in a rout against Jacoby Brissett and the Arizona Cardinals, who just happened to be the same team that sent Dallas into its bye week with a loss. Beyond the gaudy stat line for Lawrence in Week 10, he has captained that defense since the moment he set foot in Seattle. There is no doubt that Lawrence has truly been a culture-changing presence for the Seahawks' defense.
Seattle ranks 5th in points allowed per game, 4th against the run, and 9th in total yards allowed per game. The Seahawks are a fringe top-10 defense across the board, something far from the realm of possibility for the Cowboys.
Considering the defensive struggles Dallas has faced thus far, Lawrence would've likely wasted another year of his prime had he chosen to re-sign with the franchise. In a situation eerily similar to Cowboys legend DeMarcus Ware, Lawrence is now on a team ready to compete for a Lombardi Trophy.