NFL notebook: Cowboys DE Lawrence to miss preseason

[April 09, 2019]  A day after reports that he will have shoulder surgery to fix a torn labrum, Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence confirmed Monday he expects to miss the preseason while recovering in hopes of playing in Week 1.

Fresh off reaching a five-year deal to remain in Dallas, Lawrence said on The Rich Eisen Show that he will undergo surgery on Wednesday after putting off the procedure while he sorted out his contract, reportedly worth $105 million.

Lawrence, 26, played through the injury in the 2018 season and led the Cowboys with 10.5 sacks. The two-time Pro Bowler has 25 sacks over the past two seasons, with no other Cowboy recording double digits over the same span.

In five seasons in Dallas, Lawrence has a combined 34 sacks and 200 tackles in 64 games (47 starts). The Cowboys selected the Boise State product in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

--The Kansas City Chiefs have reached agreement with linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu, according to the sports agency SportsTrust that represents the 26-year-old.

Attaochu played his first four NFL seasons (2014-17) with the Chargers -- three in San Diego, one in Los Angeles -- so he is mighty familiar with the AFC West. He had 10 sacks in 38 games (13 starts) with the Chargers. Attaochu was originally picked in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Chargers.

He signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent in March 2018 but didn't make the team and was released. The New York Jets picked up Attaochu two days later and he had two sacks in 11 games.

--The Arizona Cardinals re-signed defensive tackle Rodney Gunter to a one-year contract, the team announced.

Gunter reportedly made a free-agent visit to the Green Bay Packers last week. The 27-year-old Gunter established career highs of 44 tackles and 4.5 sacks last year in his fourth season with the Cardinals. He has 95 tackles and eight sacks in 64 career games (25 starts).

The Cardinals also announced that they signed two offensive linemen who played for the recently disbanded Alliance of American Football: Andrew Lauderdale (Arizona Hotshots) and Jeremiah Poutasi (Salt Lake City Stallions).

--The Carolina Panthers announced the signing of five players, highlighted by former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Destiny Vaeao and four others with experience in the now-suspended Alliance of American Football.

Vaeao, 25, has played parts of three seasons with the Eagles since signing as an undrafted free agent out of Washington State in 2016. He was cut by the Eagles last October and was signed to the New York Jets practice squad the following month, but never saw regular-season action.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) smiles as he celebrates a victory against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

In addition, the Panthers added four others who played in the AAF. The group includes Rashad Ross, 29, who caught 36 passes for 583 yards (16.2 yards per catch) and a league-best seven touchdowns for the Arizona Hotshots. His signing initially was reported on Thursday.

--The Miami Dolphins have reached a one-year deal with former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Ricardo Louis, according to multiple reports.

A fourth-round pick by the Browns in 2016, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Louis missed all of last season with a neck injury that he had surgically repaired before training camp.

The two seasons prior, Louis appeared in all 32 games with 12 starts, catching 45 passes for 562 yards. He also averaged 18.2 yards on nine kickoff returns as a rookie after running a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.

--Former rugby player Christian Wade has been allocated to the Buffalo Bills as part of the NFL's International Player Pathway Program, the team announced.

The 5-foot-8, 190-pound Wade was a highly decorated rugby star in the United Kingdom, having played for the national team at the U16, U18 and U20 levels, as well as making the British and Irish Lions squad. He retired from the rugby union last year to pursue playing in the NFL.

Wade's 82 tries (touchdowns) in Premiership Rugby, mostly as a ballcarrier, is third all-time and he has been designated as a running back with the Bills.

Wade, 27, is one of seven international athletes from five countries who have been training in Florida with the goal of landing one of four placements among AFC East teams this offseason. He participated in a pro day last week, where he was timed at 4.53 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

The four clubs will be allowed to carry an extra player (91 total) during training camp and, should the player not make the final roster, will also receive an extra practice squad spot for the allotted player. However, those placed on the practice squad with the international player exemption will be ineligible to be activated during the season.

--Field Level Media

[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.