The New York Jets are now facing the possibility of playing without defensive end Carl Lawson after a leg injury in practice saw him carted off the field.
The New York Jets can’t seem to catch a break at any point, and unfortunately, they may have lost one of their best pass rushers in defensive end Carl Lawson.
During a scrimmage against the Green Bay Packers, Lawson went down with a leg injury and had to be carted off the field. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported that Lawson will have an MRI on his Achilles. If he suffered a torn Achilles, that would be a season-ending injury.
Trainers and players gathered around Lawson after the injury. Regardless, it puts a serious damper on the Jets defensive line and the front office, who acquired Lawson as a free agent from the Cincinnati Bengals to help shore up the defense and give a solid building piece for new head coach Robert Saleh.
Moreover, a lack of pass rush on the defense puts even more stress on the offense. Headlined by rookie Zach Wilson, New York’s style of play, at least from practice, seems to be going in a different direction.
That alone is a far cry from the formula under former head coach Adam Gase, where several times, possessions ended with a turnover or a punt as opposed to scoring points, except, of course, the two games that they won and the one they blew against the Raiders with Gregg Williams’ assistance.
The loss of Carl Lawson is devastating for the New York Jets and replacing him is no easy task.
Although his name isn’t among the game’s elite, Carl Lawson has been one of the more productive pass rushers in the NFL and seemed to be on an upward trajectory. However, losing him for the season would certainly hinder the Jets’ chances to be competitive within the division this season.
Given how the Buffalo Bills and their newly paid quarterback Josh Allen have looked thus far, coupled with how New England used the free-agent market to return to a state of normalcy, and Miami looking to bounce back, not having a high-level pass rusher makes the task far more daunting for the Jets, although many have picked them to finish fourth in the division this year.
Best wishes to Carl Lawson, and here’s hoping the injury isn’t as serious as thought to be and he can come back this season and play.