FRISCO -- DeMarcus Lawrence has this nonchalant charm about him. The Cowboys defensive end can stroll through the locker room and engage in casual conversation with just about anyone.

Lawrence followed the road less traveled to the NFL, jumping from Butler (Kan.) Community College to Boise State to the Cowboys. And now the 6-3, 265-pounder sometimes takes an unusual path to work at The Star.

Lawrence and fellow defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford decided in May they wanted to do everything possible to be in the best shape for the season. So they sometimes ride their bicycles to the team headquarters, following a hilly path along Lebanon Road. Door to door is about 35 minutes.

Crawford is a more experienced cyclist than Lawrence.

"He's been teaching me some moves," Lawrence said. "I still can't jump the curbs yet. It really helps flush the legs and get the bad toxins out of your legs and also makes you stronger and helps you lose weight. We've been doing it, and no need to stop now, right?"

No, Lawrence shouldn't change a thing the way he's played six games into the season. He has already set a career high with 9 1/2 sacks. That ranks him just behind Jacksonville end Calais Campbell for the NFL lead. And Lawrence should be in good position to add to his sack total Sunday at Washington against a Redskins offensive line that's been plagued by injuries.

Lawrence is playing in the final year of his contract, and his fast start will leave the Cowboys with an interesting decision come the offseason.

With every sack, Lawrence will put himself in line for a big payday as one of the most sought-after free agents. The Cowboys have been searching for an elite pass rusher since they moved on from all-time sacks leader DeMarcus Ware after 2013.

Seems like a no-brainer for the Cowboys to re-sign Lawrence, but it becomes more complicated considering that Lawrence had back surgery the last two offseasons.

Consecutive back surgeries for a 25-year-old nicknamed "Tank" who makes a living crashing into 300-pound offensive linemen could quickly turn into a liability issue for the Cowboys if Lawrence were to suffer a more serious injury.

Like Texas pollen, back injuries tend to linger.

That's why Cowboys executives decided before the season not to pursue a contract extension with Lawrence until after 2017. They wanted to see if he would finally reach his potential and, perhaps trumping all, if his back would hold up.

The Cowboys could turn to their franchise tag to ensure Lawrence returns. The franchise tag is the NFL's version of telling your significant other that you remain committed but aren't ready for marriage.

Placing the franchise tag on Lawrence next season would cost the Cowboys about $17 million. But Lawrence would only get a one-year deal. That would provide the Cowboys more valuable evaluation time.

That's the path the Cowboys chose with linebacker/defensive end Anthony Spencer. They used their franchise tag on Spencer in 2012 and 2013, guaranteeing him a combined $19.4 million. Spencer responded with a career-high 11 sacks and a Pro Bowl appearance in 2012, but he played in only one game in 2013 before undergoing season-ending microfracture knee surgery. He played 13 games for the Cowboys in 2014 under another one-year deal and never played in the NFL again.

Lawrence's reworked back could be good for the long haul. He said he's sacking the quarterback more often these days simply because he's finally healthy. He's battled injuries throughout his time in Dallas. The only season he played in double-digit games was 2015, when he finished with eight sacks.

Lawrence was in so much pain last November that he could hardly function at times. At any point, he could have shut it down and elected for season-ending back surgery. He didn't. He played through all the grimacing and finished with just one sack.

Now Lawrence is finally living up to the expectations that were set for him when the Cowboys traded up 13 spots with Washington -- Sunday's opponent -- to select him early in the second round of the 2014 draft at No. 34 overall.

"It's great. I have so much energy and so much fun being out there with the guys," Lawrence said. "I'm just blessed. It was tough and now I feel free, loose and ready to go."

Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said this past week it often takes pass-rushers a few years to develop in the NFL. And Lawrence was behind the curve because of numerous injuries.

Marinelli said Lawrence is putting it all together now because he's able to get the full-speed practice repetitions that are so valuable.

"His moves are really good," Marinelli said. "The only way you can work on your moves is full speed. He has been healthy and he loves the work. He just loves what he is doing. And you can tell that."

Marinelli praises Lawrence for his ability to stop the run on the left side just as much as his sacks.

Marinelli said Lawrence has the ability to be a double-digit-sack player for years to come.

"There is no question," Marinelli said. "He's got good speed but exceptional quickness. And he has the shake and the moves. He understands. He got himself in terrific shape. He is lean. You don't want to be overly big."

Extra weight isn't good for the back either, another good reason for the bike rides.

"Me and [Lawrence] were talking about what type of year he needs to have this year and I just said, 'We should do something extra,' and do workouts on our bike," Crawford said. "It's not crazy far. The hills are what kills us. I'm probably better than him on a bike. He's getting there."

Lawrence is doing more than "getting there." Tight end Jason Witten said he's arrived.

"Throughout his career there have been flashes of that," Witten said. "I knew early on going against him as a rookie that he was strong and powerful and shifty. Right now he has a lot of that confidence because he's been able to do it over and over. He's healthy and you see the way he's playing. It's just a relentless pursuit that he has.

"When you have that confidence, it's a great feeling. You feel like you're unstoppable."

DeMarcus photos

1 / 6Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) comes up with the fumble after putting pressure on San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard (3) in the first half during a National Football League game between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California Sunday October 22, 2017. (Andy Jacobsohn/The Dallas Morning News)(Andy Jacobsohn / Staff Photographer) 2 / 6Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) celebrates after recovering a fumble by San Francisco 49ers quarterback C.J. Beathard (3) in the first half during a National Football League game between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California Sunday October 22, 2017. (Andy Jacobsohn/The Dallas Morning News)(Andy Jacobsohn / Staff Photographer) 3 / 6Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) works with Dallas Cowboys Leon Lett in a drill during training camp in Oxnard, California on Wednesday, August 9, 2017. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News)(Vernon Bryant / Staff Photographer) 4 / 6Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) shows defensive tackle David Irving (95) a move during a morning walk thru at training camp in Oxnard, California, Sunday, July 31, 2016. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer) 5 / 6Tyrone and Yvonne Lawrence hold a 2009 photo of their son, DeMarcus Lawrence, who was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the NFL Draft, outside the Lawrence family home in Windsor, S.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2014. Tyrone, who was a Cowboys fan before the team drafted his son, is wearing the same hat his son wore on draft night. (Jon-Michael Sullivan/Special Contributor) 07202014xSPORTS(Jon-Michael Sullivan / Special Contributor) 6 / 6Demarcus Lawrence (8) pursues the quarterback as Boise State Football faces Nevada 05102014xBRIEFING(John Kelly / Boise State University)

Tag prices

Lawrence will become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. But Dallas could lock him up on a one-year franchise tag. Here's a look at the tag amounts for defensive ends since 2010: