A lot of the Carl Lawson rumors surrounding the 49ers make logic.
Carl Lawson, the 49ers’ edge rusher, has not had a particularly successful season with the Jets. Because, as brilliant as San Francisco’s defense has been this year, especially with the addition of pass rusher Chase Young, the salary cap makes it improbable that the 49ers will be able to retain all of their pieces together. That means they’ll have to find useful, low-cost pieces for next season, which means there’ll be plenty of 49ers rumors linking the team to players wanting to rebuild their value.
Carl Lawson will be in this scenario following a disastrous year in New York. And Pro Football Focus already sees Lawson as a potential future 49ers pass-rusher who can be obtained for a low cost in 2024 NFL free agency.
“Because the 49ers have a lot of major financial commitments to figure out in the future, continuing to get a lot out of rotational pieces will be extremely beneficial.” “Lawson could be a perfect buy-low candidate and boost his stock in San Francisco,” the site noted in its most occasional “NFL Needs Tracker” post.
49ers Rumors Should Center on Low-Cost Gambles
Carl Lawson has had a rocky time in general with the Jets, starting with the three-year, $45 million contract he signed in 2021. Lawson tore his Achilles tendon in August of 2021, though, and sat out the entire first season of the contract. He rebounded in 2022, though, starting all 17 games and collecting seven sacks. But he has fallen off this year, at age 28, and has played just 88 snaps over five games.
Does Lawson have something left in the tank? It would be worth it to find out. A little extra juice to make this stand out among 49ers rumors: Lawson has played in the same defensive system in New York as is run in San Francisco.
“Lawson has fallen down the New York Jets’ depth chart this season, and former 49ers defensive coordinator turned Jets head coach Robert Saleh is running the defense,” according to PFF. “However, there’s no indication of a problem between the player and the organization, and a fresh start in a familiar system could help him get back on track.” Lawson tore his Achilles in 2021 and hasn’t looked the same since, but he still had a 72.8 pass-rushing grade, 49 pressures, and eight sacks in 2022.”
What Will the Team do With Chase Young?
Of course, one of the 49ers rumors that most of us would like to see come true is the team’s defensive status quo—that is, simply keeping Chase Young around. The problem with it is that the 49ers would almost certainly have to sell depth elsewhere to make it work within their payroll structure.
Young is estimated to be worth $13.6 million per year by Spotrac.The team must also keep defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw and extend wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers are already $14 million over the salary cap for next season, according to Spotrac. There’s a good chance of a salary squeeze there.
Carl Lawson could come in handy here. The 49ers should be able to compete for the Super Bowl again next year. That makes them a wonderful fit for a player like him who needs to establish himself.
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter for Heavy.com who focuses on the NBA and NFL. He has been writing for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the Sporting News’ lead NBA reporter. Deveney’s nonfiction books include “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley Became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.”More information on Sean Devene
