Carl Lawson continues to draw interest around the league. The veteran edge rusher recently visited the Cardinals, per ESPN’s Field Yates.
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Lawson lined up a visit with the Dolphins in April, but that did not produce a deal. Remaining on the market deep into the offseason, the 29-year-old has also met with the Panthers and Cowboys. He now has the chance to join the Cardinals, a team looking for depth options along the edge as the regular season nears.
Arizona signed Marquis Haynes on Tuesday, and he will provide the team with a veteran presence over at least the coming weeks. That move came in the wake of BJ Ojulari being lost for the season. The 2023 second-rounder suffered an ACL tear, sidelining him until the start of next year at the earliest. Lawson could help further fill the void created by Ojulari’s injury.
The Auburn alum established himself as a full-time starter during his time with the Bengals (2017-20). Lawson’s production earned him a three-year, $45MM deal with the Jets in free agency, but an Achilles tear delayed his debut campaign with the team by one year. The former fourth-rounder served in a first-team role in 2022, totaling seven sacks and 26 QB pressures. Last year, though, he fell out of favor and played only six games.
The Cardinals currently have more than $33MM in cap space, so another signing at the edge spot would not be a problem. Lawson’s poor showing in 2023 would also keep his price down, although three unsuccessful visits (and counting) demonstrate the hesitancy shown on the part of several teams to commit to a deal. It will be interesting to see if Arizona bucks that trend or moves on to other options options at the position.