Carl Lawson has been floated around in trade rumors ahead of the NFL trade deadline at the end of October, and some would say it’s inevitable he gets traded by the New York Jets. Amid the rumors, Lawson spoke about wanting to play more and his belief that he can still contribute to a team.
“I definitely want to play because I know I can contribute, I’ve proven that,” Lawson explained via SNY. “I always want to contribute. Right now I’m with the Jets. I definitely want to play more, do what I did last season and then some. Coming off a double Achilles, put up good numbers and I feel like I can do more.”
The veteran defensive end would sign with the Jets prior to the 2021 campaign, but he would miss his first year due to an Achilles injury. Lawson would start in all 17 games last season, registering 33 combined tackles, nine tackles for loss, seven sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
A back injury he sustained during training camp prevented Lawson from being active in Week 1 this season. He’s since played on only 24 percent of the defensive snaps for the Jets this season and he’s been a healthy scratch in two games.
While Lawson is still only 28 years old, he’s dealt with multiple injuries since his time at Auburn before entering the NFL in 2017. Taking an edge rusher in back-to-back drafts, along with the emergence of Bryce Huff, has also made Lawson an expendable player on the Jets.
Teams around the league are always seeking aid in the pass-rushing department, so there could undoubtedly be a market for Lawson. At the same time, Lawson is confident he can produce elsewhere if the Jets elect to move on from him in the coming weeks.