The Cowboys are looking to bolster their defensive line and are looking to acquire a former Jets player.
Dallas worked out former Gang Green defensive end Carl Lawson on Thursday after edge rusher Sam Williams tore his ACL. ESPN’s Todd Archer reports. Wednesday night.
Lawson, 29, signed a three-year, $45 million contract to join the team in the 2021 offseason after playing the past two years with the Jets.
Lawson missed his entire first year with New York after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in August 2021.
The former Bengal returned in 2022 and started all 17 games for the Jets, recording seven sacks, 49 pressures, nine tackles for loss and one forced fumble.
However, a back injury limited Lawson’s participation in the 2023 season, and he ended up playing in just six games and did not record a sack.
In place of Lawson, coach Robert Saleh has consistently relied on edge rushers like Jermaine Johnson, Bryce Huff, Michael Clemons and Will McDonald.
Lawson, a fourth-round pick by the Bengals in 2017, remains unsigned this offseason but could join the team with training camp now underway and preseason set to get fully underway next week.
In fact, an incident that occurred at camp likely sparked Dallas’ interest in Lawson.
It was reported Sunday that Williams suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during practice.
The 25-year-old had two straight seasons with at least 22 pressures and four sacks, behind notables Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.
The Cowboys still have one of the most formidable edge rushing duos in football, but the depth behind them is pretty thin, limited primarily to second-round rookie Marshawn Kneeland.
Williams’ injury was one of several significant issues Dallas had during camp, which also included the suspension of star receiver CeeDee Lamb and the looming payday of top-tier quarterback Dak Prescott.
Dallas, which finished 12-5 in the 2023 season but lost to the Packers in the wild-card round, has new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and is looking to make its first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1995.
