Key Seahawks Defender Contemplating Retirement, Per Reports

DeMarcus Lawrence is about to turn 34 years old. He has six children. He’s made an estimated $140 million dollars in NFL salary in his career according to Spotrac. He’s made five Pro Bowls. And as of a couple weeks ago, he has a super bowl ring. By many measures, he’s accomplished just about everything you can accomplish in a career.

And now, it seems like he’s contemplating calling it a career. According to Brady Henderson, there remains a real possibility that DeMarcus Lawrence will retire this offseason, with people in his camp currently unsure about what he’s going to do.

Lawrence is just wrapping up his first season in Seattle, having played his whole career for the Dallas Cowboys previously. Signing a three-year deal, Lawrence was a key piece of the number one defense in football. Not only did he remain a superb run defender on the edge, he re-discovered himself as a pass rusher, generating pressure as if he was in his prime again.

If he decides to hang his cleats up, it’s a loss that will be difficult to mitigate. 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.

If this is the end for D-Law, he goes down as one of the best free agent signings in team history. — Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward (1) eludes the pressure of Seattle defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (0) during their game. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A Lawrence retirement leaves Derick Hall as the only surefire part of the 2026 edge rusher room. The team will certainly have to hit free agency hard if things go this way, probably going after multiple replacement options. There are many available, although money becomes a concern at a certain point. Speaking of money, that’s another factor here.

DeMarcus Lawrence got $5 million dollars of his 2026 salary guaranteed the Friday after the super bowl, meaning that his retirement would bring little cap relief to the team. Given that the guarantee was obviously in place assuming that Lawrence would return for 2026, I wonder if he might give it back, or if the team would be willing to fight him over it (there is precedence here).

Given how well DeMarcus played in 2025 on a shockingly low cap hit, I certainly couldn’t object to him heading off to retirement with a $5 million bonus, but I also understand that the team might take issue with him retiring right after the guarantees vest. Personally, I’m hoping it ends up being a moot point due to Lawrence not retiring, but we should prepare for anything.

The team has been fortunate this offseason to dodge retirements from Leonard Williams and Cooper Kupp to this point, with Williams indicating that he intends to be back. But they may not get out unscathed. Only time will tell, and I’m sure this team is happy to give Lawrence all the time he needs.

Go out a champion if it feels right, D-Law. — Seattle Seahawks defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (0) talks to media members. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images