Cowboys Rumors: Carl Lawson signs contract after Jordan Phillips trade with Giants | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Veteran pass rusher Carl Lawson is set to continue his NFL career after agreeing to a contract with the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

This was the second notable addition the Cowboys made to their defensive line this week, having previously acquired defensive tackle Jordan Phillips in a trade with the New York Giants on Wednesday, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Lawson, 29, is coming off a disappointing season with the New York Jets. He signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the club as a free agent in March 2021, but his 2021 season came to an end during training camp when he tore his Achilles tendon.

Despite being healthy enough to play in all 17 games during the 2022 season, Lawson didn’t appear to have the same explosiveness that made him such an attractive acquisition as a free agent even though he finished with seven sacks.

Things didn’t get any better for Lawson in 2023. He fell out of the line rotation and was inactive for 10 of New York’s 17 games. The Auburn alum only played 101 total snaps in six games without recording a quarterback hit, a tackle for loss of yardage or a sack.

There were rumors before the trade deadline that Lawson could be moved, but the Jets couldn’t find another team willing to sign him.

As the trade deadline approached, Lawson made it clear that he wanted to find a role that allowed him to contribute.

“I definitely want to play and contribute,” Lawson told reporters on Oct. 26. “I know I can. I’ve proven that. Yeah, I always want to contribute, but right now I’m with the Jets, but I definitely want to play more. I definitely want to do what I did last year (seven sacks)… I’m a football player, not a cheerleader.”

After playing in New York, Lawson has a chance to start over with the Cowboys. He is still at an age where he should be in his prime, although the Achilles injury has certainly affected his effectiveness.

During his prime years with the Cincinnati Bengals, Lawson was a disruptive player on defense. He averaged 20.8 quarterback hits, five sacks and 4.8 tackles for loss per season from 2017-2020.

If Dallas allows Lawson to be a complementary player who provides depth behind Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence rather than relying on him to be an anchor, he’s a solid, low-priced addition to the defense this season.