Carl Lawson still chasing his potential

[aubiefifty 18,260]

 

al.com

 

Carl Lawson still chasing his potential with the Dallas Cowboys

Updated: Aug. 21, 2024, 8:11 a.m.|Published: Aug. 21, 2024, 8:00 a.m.

5–6 minutes

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New York Jets defensive end Carl Lawson breaks up a pass to Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin during an NFL game on Dec. 24, 2023, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.(AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

By

• Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com

Carl Lawson started practice with the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, hoping to show enough in the next week to embark on an eighth NFL season.

“I feel like a younger player, man,” Lawson said on Monday, “because my potential, I honestly feel like, hasn’t been reached due to injuries or situations or teams that I’ve been on that just haven’t clicked or had quarterbacks playing whether they were hurt or been in down offenses.

“And so I’ve been a very effective pass-rusher in this league but on losing teams, so the opportunity to possibly get on a team that could be up in games I could really feel like I can show my ability and finally just get back healthy, so I’m excited.”

After starting every game at defensive end for the New York Jets and registering seven sacks and 24 quarterback hits in 2022, Lawson played in only six games in 2023. With the emergence of 2022 first-round draft pick Jermaine Johnson and former St. Paul’s Episcopal standout Bryce Huff,Lawson played 101 defensive snaps and did not record a sack or a quarterback hit last season.

“It was definitely a tough situation,” Lawson said, “but God humbles you in different ways. And even if you do everything that you could possibly do, sometimes situations don’t work out for you. But stay the course, keep fighting, represent yourself as the best possible human being that you could possibly be and things will shake out for you whether it’s on the field or in just life.”

Lawson is getting a late start on 2024, with NFL teams required to reduce their 90-player preseason rosters to 53 active players by 3 p.m. CDT Tuesday.

“I had a bunch of other opportunities,” Lawson said. “I was more so this offseason just looking for the right opportunity. I didn’t want something where I didn’t feel like it’d be the best situation for me and the team that I was going to. Eventually this fell into the stars and lines.”

Lawson had been an unrestricted free agent since March 13. He joined Dallas to provide depth behind defensive ends Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams, a former Lee-Montgomery standout, tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee at practice on July 28.

“It’s a blessing to be able to add to such a historic franchise such as this,” Lawson said, “and especially for a fan base like this. I just want to give my all, and I’m going to do everything I can to be a dominant player.”

• Former Auburn tight end released by Philadelphia Eagles
• Former Alabama cornerback released by Pittsburgh Steelers
• Former Dolphins coach responds to Tua Tagovailoa’s criticism

Lawson has not played on an NFL team that has finished the season with a winning record. Dallas has won 12 regular-season games for three consecutive years.

After joining the Cincinnati Bengals from Auburn as a fourth-round choice in the 2017 NFL Draft, Lawson led the NFL’s first-year players with 8.5 sacks and made the Professional Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie team. Over the next two seasons, Lawson missed 13 games with injuries and totaled six sacks.

In his fourth season, Lawson recorded 5.5 sacks and ranked second in the NFL with 32 quarterback hits in 2020.

That landed Lawson a three-year, $45 million contract with the Jets as an unrestricted free agent. But before he played a game for New York, Lawsonsuffered a torn Achilles tendonduring a joint training-camp practice with the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 19, and the injury sidelined him for the 2021 NFL season.

Dallas defensive run-game coordinator Paul Guenther worked as Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator during Lawson’s rookie season.

“Paul just let me go,” Lawson said. “It was, like, use my abilities to the fullest.”

The Cowboys will close their preseason schedule against the Los Angeles Chargers at 3 p.m. CDT Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. NFL Network will televise the game.

Dallas will begin its regular-season slate against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 8.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

[Mims44 2,009]

On 8/21/2024 at 2:19 PM, aubiefifty said:

 

al.com

 

Carl Lawson still chasing his potential with the Dallas Cowboys

Updated: Aug. 21, 2024, 8:11 a.m.|Published: Aug. 21, 2024, 8:00 a.m.

5–6 minutes

---

New York Jets defensive end Carl Lawson breaks up a pass to Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin during an NFL game on Dec. 24, 2023, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.(AP Photo/Bryan Woolston)

By

• Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com

Carl Lawson started practice with the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, hoping to show enough in the next week to embark on an eighth NFL season.

“I feel like a younger player, man,” Lawson said on Monday, “because my potential, I honestly feel like, hasn’t been reached due to injuries or situations or teams that I’ve been on that just haven’t clicked or had quarterbacks playing whether they were hurt or been in down offenses.

“And so I’ve been a very effective pass-rusher in this league but on losing teams, so the opportunity to possibly get on a team that could be up in games I could really feel like I can show my ability and finally just get back healthy, so I’m excited.”

After starting every game at defensive end for the New York Jets and registering seven sacks and 24 quarterback hits in 2022, Lawson played in only six games in 2023. With the emergence of 2022 first-round draft pick Jermaine Johnson and former St. Paul’s Episcopal standout Bryce Huff,Lawson played 101 defensive snaps and did not record a sack or a quarterback hit last season.

“It was definitely a tough situation,” Lawson said, “but God humbles you in different ways. And even if you do everything that you could possibly do, sometimes situations don’t work out for you. But stay the course, keep fighting, represent yourself as the best possible human being that you could possibly be and things will shake out for you whether it’s on the field or in just life.”

Lawson is getting a late start on 2024, with NFL teams required to reduce their 90-player preseason rosters to 53 active players by 3 p.m. CDT Tuesday.

“I had a bunch of other opportunities,” Lawson said. “I was more so this offseason just looking for the right opportunity. I didn’t want something where I didn’t feel like it’d be the best situation for me and the team that I was going to. Eventually this fell into the stars and lines.”

Lawson had been an unrestricted free agent since March 13. He joined Dallas to provide depth behind defensive ends Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams, a former Lee-Montgomery standout, tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee at practice on July 28.

“It’s a blessing to be able to add to such a historic franchise such as this,” Lawson said, “and especially for a fan base like this. I just want to give my all, and I’m going to do everything I can to be a dominant player.”

• Former Auburn tight end released by Philadelphia Eagles
• Former Alabama cornerback released by Pittsburgh Steelers
• Former Dolphins coach responds to Tua Tagovailoa’s criticism

Lawson has not played on an NFL team that has finished the season with a winning record. Dallas has won 12 regular-season games for three consecutive years.

After joining the Cincinnati Bengals from Auburn as a fourth-round choice in the 2017 NFL Draft, Lawson led the NFL’s first-year players with 8.5 sacks and made the Professional Football Writers of America’s All-Rookie team. Over the next two seasons, Lawson missed 13 games with injuries and totaled six sacks.

In his fourth season, Lawson recorded 5.5 sacks and ranked second in the NFL with 32 quarterback hits in 2020.

That landed Lawson a three-year, $45 million contract with the Jets as an unrestricted free agent. But before he played a game for New York, Lawsonsuffered a torn Achilles tendonduring a joint training-camp practice with the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 19, and the injury sidelined him for the 2021 NFL season.

Dallas defensive run-game coordinator Paul Guenther worked as Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator during Lawson’s rookie season.

“Paul just let me go,” Lawson said. “It was, like, use my abilities to the fullest.”

The Cowboys will close their preseason schedule against the Los Angeles Chargers at 3 p.m. CDT Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. NFL Network will televise the game.

Dallas will begin its regular-season slate against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 8.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I had honestly forgot about him after his rookie year. He's had it up and down for sure. Only 3 full years and 1 year (2021) with no games.