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Jets start rebuild with a bang, signing Carl Lawson, Corey Davis

By Sravan Gannavarapu

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson (58) warms up before of a Week 13 NFL game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.New York Jets At Cincinnati Bengals 12 1 2019
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson (58) warms up before of a Week 13 NFL game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati.New York Jets At Cincinnati Bengals 12 1 2019 /
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The Robert Saleh era and the New York Jets rebuilding project started with splash signings on both sides of the ball in Carl Lawson and Corey Davis. 

Upon being hired by the New York Jets after a 2-14 season, head coach Robert Saleh wasted no time looking to reshape the team with fresh talent.

On Monday, the Jets signed former Titans wide receiver Corey Davis to a three-year, $37.5 million deal with $27 million guaranteed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Later in the day, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Jets addressed the defense by signing former Bengals pass rusher Carl Lawson to a three-year, $45 million deal with $30 million guaranteed.

The deals are exactly what the doctor ordered. For Davis, he gets a chance to potentially be a No. 1 receiver alongside Jamison Crowder and Denzel Mims and form a productive passing attack. Meanwhile, Lawson will be directly under Saleh’s tutelage on the defensive side of the ball and attempt to revitalize the pass rush, which was Saleh’s specialty in San Francisco during a run to Super Bowl LIV.

Corey Davis and Carl Lawson are two key building locks in Robert Saleh’s vision of the New York Jets.

For any rookie head coach like Robert Saleh, the first free agency period you are part of will more often than not set the tone. Even if Saleh did not have the amount of cap space that he had coming into this season, his first moves would be looked at with a sharper eye. Now, he can be applauded for his decisions.

Yes, Davis was a No.2 receiver in the Titans offense, but it was a run-oriented system. What if he was placed in a system where he had a chance to be a top target? Additionally, Lawson was arguably the best player on a weak Cincinnati defense. But he had 5.5 sacks last season. What would happen with better coaching and better talent around him? Just questions for thought.

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The New York Jets needed to make a statement about changing the culture and looking to improve. They saw what the Patriots did in free agency and how Buffalo and Miami are not going anywhere with their talent level, so they had no choice but to identify key pieces for their team and sign them. And that is just what they did.

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