The New York Jets desperately needed help at edge rusher after losing star Carl Lawson for the season earlier this month. General manager Joe Douglas delivered it on Sunday.
The Jets traded for defensive end Shaq Lawson, sending a 2022 sixth-round pick to the Texans, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed.
Lawson, 27, had four sacks with the Dolphins last season before he was traded to the Texans in the offseason. He has two years and $8.9 million left on his contract and is set to make $990,000 in 2021, per overthecap.com. He has no guaranteed money on his contract beyond 2021.
The new Lawson won’t completely replace Carl Lawson who had one of the best win rates in the NFL last season, was the Jets’ best defensive player in training camp and was supposed to be the key to coach Robert Saleh’s defense.
But Lawson is an imposing, physical pass rusher who gives the Jets some depth in their defensive end rotation. He joins John Franklin-Myers and Bryce Huff, two unproven edge rushers who have shown potential in the past year. Saleh’s scheme relies on getting pressure from the defensive front, without much blitzing, so Lawson should be able to help the Jets achieve that goal.
