Jets Country

Jets Exploring Trade Options to Replace Carl Lawson

The New York Jets are reportedly seeking out trade options on the defensive line to replace pass rusher Carl Lawson, who is out for the year with an Achilles injury

Max Goodman

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When asked about Carl Lawson's season-ending Achilles injury on Saturday—after New York's preseason victory over the Packers—Jets head coach Robert Saleh made it clear that his team is concentrating on internal options to fill the void.

"We’re going to focus on the guys that we have," Saleh said. "Obviously, Joe [Douglas] and his staff are always collecting data and trying to figure out the next move, and we’ll talk about it. But right now as a coaching staff, our focus is on the men who are in the room.”

One day later, it seems like those additional conversations about external options might be gathering some momentum.

New York is reportedly exploring a possible trade to address their pass rush with Lawson out for the year, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. According to the insider, this hypothetical trade could go down before the season begins next month. 

Replacing a player of Lawson's caliber is borderline impossible, especially this late in the year with the regular season only a few weeks away. If any team can pull it off, however, it's the Jets and their surplus of draft capital. 

The Jets have plenty of depth on the defensive line, with talented assets ready and willing to step up into bigger roles. Losing Lawson, New York no longer has a premier pass rusher off the edge, though.

There are plenty of players available in free agency, but those veterans that still don't have a team this late in August aren't necessarily going to provide the same type of impact as an asset brought in via trade. 

The question is, would general manager Joe Douglas be willing to part ways with future draft picks—selections that could play a role in this organization's accelerated rebuild down the line—just to improve in 2021, a season where a bid to the playoffs was already an unlikely outcome (even if Lawson was healthy).

If New York is in talks to pull off a trade before the season begins, we'll surely hear more in the coming weeks. Until then, it'll be a complete effort from all defensive linemen already on the Jets' roster to fill Lawson's shoes.

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Max Goodman
MAX GOODMAN

Max Goodman covers the New York Jets for Sports Illustrated and FanNation. He also covers the New York Yankees, publisher  of Sports Illustrated and FanNation's Yankees site, Inside The Pinstripes. Before starting out with SI, Goodman attended Northwestern University and the Medill School of Journalism. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Sports Media, graduating in 2019. While at school, Goodman gathered valuable experience as an anchor and reporter on NNN SportsNight and played on the club baseball team. Goodman previously interned at MLB.com as an associate reporter covering the Miami Marlins. He also interned with ESPN, working as an associate reporter on Mike Greenberg's Get Up. Goodman is from New York City. He grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Follow Goodman on Twitter @MaxTGoodman and connect with him via email by reaching out at maxgoodmansports@gmail.com.

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