Macdonald has lofty praise for Seahawks DE DeMarcus Lawrence

RENTON – Four-time Pro Bowl defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence brings a long track record of production to the Pacific Northwest.

News and notes from Day 1 of Seahawks training camp

Lawrence, who signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Seahawks in March, racked up 61.5 sacks and 97 tackles for loss during his standout 11-year run with the Dallas Cowboys. He also established himself as one of the best run-stopping defensive ends in the league, posting a top-10 Pro Football Focus run defense grade at his position in three of his last four full seasons.

But as Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald described, the 33-year-old Lawrence still practices with the intensity of a rookie fighting for a roster spot.

“He’s like the best drill player I’ve ever seen in my life,” Macdonald said after Wednesday’s opening training camp practice. “You could ask him to do any drill known to mankind, and just the trust he has in why you’re doing it, it is 1,000% every rep, the intent of what he’s trying to create. And that’s the standard that he’s setting for our front, so the guys don’t have a choice but to fall in line.

“You know what he can do on the field,” Macdonald added. “The tape speaks for itself. But you understand how it comes to life based on how he works.”

Seahawks veteran defensive lineman Leonard Williams offered similar praise for Lawrence during last month’s minicamp.

“The type of leadership and mindset that he brings to the team is just phenomenal,” Williams said. “He’s a dog. He speaks a lot. He plays hard. He’s going into year 12, and he’s out there practicing harder than some of the rookies.

“So we’re getting on the rookies like saying, OK, this is an example. This guy is going into year 12. He has nothing to prove, but he’s out there working his craft as hard as he can every day.”

That’s a hat trick for @TankLawrence ‼️

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Lawrence is one of the few additions to an on-the-rise Seattle defense that returns nearly every key contributor from last year’s group, which evolved into a top-five unit in the NFL over the second half of the season.

As the Seahawks look to solidify themselves as one of the league’s elite defenses, the 6-foot-3, 265-pound Lawrence adds an important level of veteran leadership – in addition to his on-field productivity. Heading into his 12th season, he’s the second-most experienced player on Seattle’s roster, behind only veteran nose tackle Johnathan Hankins.

“He’s been around and he knows how to win football games,” Seahawks safety Julian Love said last month. “So you could just tell that when things are going right for us, he’s vibing. When things aren’t up to standard, he kind of has a look to him like, this isn’t good enough. And so I think he brings a standard to the defensive room.”

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