DeMarcus Lawrence Makes His Retirement Decision

We know we can count on DeMarcus Lawrence for the 2026 season, but what are his plans beyond the immediate future?

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) is hit as he throws by Seattle Seahawks defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (0). | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Go ahead and pencil it in, if you haven’t already. Per Yahoo NFL Reporter Jori Epstein, DeMarcus Lawrence is making 2026 his final season as a professional football player. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, given Lawrence’s age (34) and mileage (this will be his 13th NFL season), but this admission from the player himself solidifies it.

Entering NFL season 13, Seahawks DE DeMarcus Lawrence tells me "this will be my last year."

He's coming off productive, ballhawk year & Lombardi. Stayed healthy last season after tough last year with Cowboys, found food & recovery routine that helped him to 6 sacks, 3 FF/FR, 20…

— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) August 14, 2026

A Great Seahawk

Assuming Lawrence holds to his intent, he will have only played two seasons for the Seattle Seahawks before hanging his cleats up. Despite that, he is sure to be remembered fondly by the fanbase due to his professionalism, dedication, and excellent play, exceeding most expectations and being a key piece of a super bowl winning squad.

Seattle Seahawks defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (0) reacts after a play during the second half against San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

While his retirement is largely expected, particularly after he admitted earlier in the offseason that he very nearly retired months ago, and in fact had to change his mind at the last moment to come back for this year, he will be missed. His particular skillset, which includes being one of the premiere run-defending edge rushers in the league, is rare.

Understanding the Ramifications

First, let’s think about the now. We know that Lawrence has a lot of children back home in Texas, which is one of the driving forces behind his retirement. But there should also be an understanding that, on some level, this decision is also being dictated by awareness of his own abilities. He must know that he’s not the same player from his prime, or even last year.

Lawrence was Seattle’s best edge in 2025, excelling as a pass rusher (39 pressures) and run defender (league leading 85 PFF grade). I think he can largely maintain his run defending abilities, but the pass rush won’t be at the same level. Also, I wouldn’t expect him to be able to stay on the field as much as he did last season. This team needs to ease the load on him.

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) and linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence (0) celebrate after a play against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. | Travis Register-Imagn Images

Also, the team now knows for a fact that they won’t have DeMarcus in 2027, which means they can plan ahead when trying to replace him. And the act of replacing him could happen during this season, in the form of a trade deadline acquisition. The urgency should be higher now, especially with Fowler and Nwosu in the last years of their contracts as well.

Salary Cap Impact

This one is pretty straight-forward. Lawrence was due $12,833,334 against the salary cap in 2027, with $2,333,334 in dead money. Assuming these numbers hold for his retirement, the Seahawks save $10,500,000 against the cap in 2027. I’d rather have Lawrence, personally, but the cap space will help in trying to locate a replacement.

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