Cowboys LB Sean Lee gets six-year extension

Published Aug. 21, 2013 6:20 p.m. ET

foxsports

Hall-of-Famer Dick Butkus recently complimented Sean Lee by calling the Cowboys middle linebacker "old-school.' On Thursday, the Cowboys' version of a compliment was a "new-school' contract extension that takes Lee through the 2019 season.

The six-year extension was announced on Twitter by agent Mike McCartney and according to NFL.com can be worth as much as $51 million, includes a $10 million signing bonus, and has base value of t$42 million.

Lee, a second-round pick in 2010 who was acquired that low due to an injury history he's still trying to shake, was scheduled to make $630,000 in the final year of his rookie contract.

Lee joins DeMarcus Ware as a leader of a Dallas Defense that is switching to a 4-3 alignment in part to take advantage of Lee's skills -- skills Dallas believes will make him a Pro Bowler.

Just as the Lee deal was planned for this summer, similar deals are on the Dallas agenda for Dez Bryant, Tyron Smith and Bruce Carter next summer.