Getty Former Jets pass rusher Carl Lawson is still a free agent.
Edge rusher remains an area of need for the Chicago Bears, with Pro Bowler Montez Sweat the star of the group. DeMarcus Walker, Dominique Robinson, Jacob Martin and rookie Austin Booker round out the rest of the group.
In his annual preseason projections, ESPN’s Mike Clay ranked Chicago’s pass rushing unit 20th in the league out of 32 teams. While that’s not awful, it’s not great, either.
In his weekly mailbag, Josh Schrock of NBC Sports was asked whether the team might be interested in bringing Yannick Ngakoue back, or whether they might be interested in the likes of Justin Houston or Carl Lawson. Schrock’s comments on Lawson, who was limited with back issues in 2023, were particularly interesting.
“Lawson is a hard case to judge,” Schrock wrote on July 19. “He tore his Achilles in 2021 but returned and was effective in 2022 (49 pressures, eight sacks, 14.3 win percentage). He didn’t play much in 2023 as the Jets had a log jam at pass rusher and were content to move on from him. I don’t know what Lawson’s medicals look like, but he’s an intriguing option, and I would consider him instead of Ngakoue. Regardless, the Bears need help on the defensive line, and it needs to arrive yesterday.”
Would Carl Lawson Be a Good Signing for the Chicago Bears?
If he’s healthy, he could be a solid option, as there aren’t many free agents available after the Miami Dolphins signed Emmanuel Ogbah. Lawson, who signed a $45 million deal with the New York Jets back in 2021, just turned 29 in June, and he has struggled to stay healthy in recent years.
As Schrock noted, Lawson had a solid season in 2022, but a crowded Jets pass rusher room coupled with a back injury, limited him to six games last season. He played just 101 snaps, all on defense, and finished with just five tackles. Still, when healthy during the 2019, 2020 and 2022 regular seasons (he missed his entire 2021 campaign due to a torn Achilles), he was disruptive, amassing 78 QB hits, 17.5 sacks, 19 tackles-for-loss and three forced fumbles.
Would he’d be a better fit in Chicago than Ngakoue, though? Ngakoue had 22 tackles, seven quarterback hits and 4.0 sacks in 13 starts for Chicago in 2023. His season ended with four games remaining after he broke his ankle, and he has yet to re-sign with another team. He’s familiar with head coach Matt Eberflus’s defense, whereas Lawson is not.
Whether it’s Lawson or Ngakoue, the team will likely sign someone soon.
Bears GM Ryan Poles Recently Addressed Team’s Edge Rusher Needs
Bears general manager Ryan Poles recently addressed the team’s situation at pass rusher.
“In the front office, it’s our job to look at every option that’s out there to improve our football team,” Poles said on July 19 at the start of the team’s training camp.
“We feel really comfortable with the guys we have on our roster now … But we will always have our eyes on the list of players that we could potentially bring in.”
Poles and Eberflus likely want to see what they have in Booker, who should be a tad raw as a fifth-round rookie. “We saw some really encouraging things during OTAs,” Poles added. “But we all know this game is played in full pads, so we want to see that process through.”
The Bears have their first padded practice scheduled for July 26. If Booker shows loads of promise, the team could hold off on adding another edge. Even then, though, having depth at the position wouldn’t be a bad thing. It’ll be interesting to see how Poles addresses that need.
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