Carl Lawson is feeling good this offseason. (Jeff Lewis, AP)
Considering he was coming off a significant injury in 2021, Jets defensive end Carl Lawson had a solid season last year.
But the 27-year-old still didn’t feel like himself a year removed after tearing his Achilles during a joint training camp practice against the Packers.
Now almost two years following the injury, Lawson says this is as healthy as he’s been since he was at Auburn.
“It’s been tremendous,” Lawson said about his offseason. “Physically, the best one I’ve ever had. Most importantly, spiritually.
“Reverse all of my injuries throughout my history. I succeeded at that. Just treatment, taking little parts of my body, sleep, refining everything, overall well-being, everything, just becoming a better version of myself.”
The Jets signed Lawson in 2021, coach Robert Saleh’s first year with the team. But Lawson didn’t play in a regular season game for the Jets until the 2022 campaign following the Achilles injury. It was the third time in his career that Lawson had suffered a significant injury as he tore his ACL at Auburn in 2014 and with the Bengals in 2018.
Lawson finished last year with seven sacks, the most since he registered 8.5 as a rookie in 2017. He also had a career-high 24 quarterback knockdowns, which ranked sixth among NFL defensive ends, according to statspass.com. Lawson helped the Jets improve from 32nd in the league in total defense in 2021 to fourth in points and yards allowed last season.
“I am excited for him,” Saleh said. “My personal experience would be Richard Sherman, who had the Achilles injury. We [49ers] signed him that first year. He had a decent year but was nowhere what I remembered.
“The second year removed, he was back and that was the 2019 year. Just learning about Achilles injuries, it’s a two-year injury. The first year, you’re not quite where you want to be. The second year, everything comes back.
“Yesterday was the first day we’ve seen him, he looks freaking awesome. I’m really excited for him and what he can do two years removed from that injury.”
During Tuesday’s OTA practice, Lawson looked leaner and in better physical condition than he was a year ago. Lawson credits that to the spiritual work, he has done off the field.
“I’ve just been consistently getting my bible every morning,” Lawson said. “Some days, you can become complacent because you didn’t get enough sleep. But just creating a routine and just having superior habits. I was talking to one of my mentors, Kevin Greene, a long time ago and the only way to be great is you have to have superior habits. I think this offseason, that’s been one thing that’s clicked with me. When he passed two years ago, it didn’t even click then. But I think just having different injuries and having different obstacles in my life has pushed me to that point.”
Before the start of free agency, Lawson could’ve been a salary cap casualty because of his large contract. However, the Jets added $12.7 million in salary cap space when Lawson agreed to rework his contract. He will earn a base salary of $9 million this upcoming season, $8 million of that guaranteed, with a chance to make $3 million in incentives.
Prior to him reworking the contract, Lawson was scheduled to make $15 million. Following the season he had last year, Lawson would have likely had a lot of suitors if he had become a free agent. But he wanted to remain a Jet as he said he would like to end his career wearing the Green and White.
“I already have a lot of money, I don’t really buy much,” Lawson said. “If it ever came to it, which I guess it did…if the quarterback was [Aaron] Rodgers, it was almost like God was talking to me.
“My career started chasing this quarterback. I have four sacks against him and my career damn near ended in pursuit of this quarterback. It’s kind of a no-brainer as you need to be here.
“But if it ever came to that point, that decision was made in February. I just wish it would have been done sooner, as I could just focus on training. I like money, but it’s not a big part of my life, my family is taken care of, but easy decision.”
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Originally published at Tribune News Service