Seahawks Could Lose ‘Superb’ DE Just One Year Into His Contract

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DeMarcus Lawrence #0 of the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seattle Seahawks had little time to bask in their Super Bowl victory before they had to face down some difficult decisions.

The team has several key players headed to free agency, and now one of their top defensive lineman could head off to retirement. One insider predicted that defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence may be thinking of hanging up his cleats, which would be a major loss to the Seahawks.

DeMarcus Lawrence Contemplating His Next Move

In an appearance on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy, ESPN reporter Brady Henderson noted that Lawrence may be reaching the end of his NFL career.

“I think one of the first questions they’ve got to figure out is whether or not DeMarcus Lawrence is coming back,” Henderson said. “That’s a very real question. And the Seahawks don’t know. I think people in DeMarcus Lawrence’s camp, at least when I checked a few days ago, still were not sure.”

Lawrence, coming off a Super Bowl win in his first season with the Seahawks after signing a three-year contract last year, has plenty of reasons to call it quits, Henderson added.

“This is a guy who’s 33 years old. His wife just gave birth to (their sixth child),” Henderson said. “And he just won a Super Bowl for the first time in his career. So if ever there was a situation where a guy could decide to ride off into the sunset, it could be this one.”

SI.com’s Brendon Nelson noted that Lawrence was “superb” for the Seahawks this season, and his retirement would represent a major loss for their roster.

“If he decides to hang his cleats up, it’s a loss that will be difficult to mitigate,” Nelson wrote. “Even if D-Law came back diminished as a pass rusher, he should remain one of the top run defenders in the game for as long as he continues to suit up. With Boye Mafe an imminent free agent and Uchenna Nwosu hanging in limbo with health and contract questions, it’s a hard problem to solve.”

Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty