One former Baltimore Ravens edge rusher is headed back to the AFC.
“Sources: The Colts are signing veteran DE Carl Lawson. Lawson previously played under Colts DC Lou Anarumo in Cincinnati,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz wrote on his official X account on Wednesday morning. “He has recorded 32 sacks over his eight-year career, including five with the Cowboys in 2024. He’ll start on the practice squad.”
Lawson, 31, played for the Ravens in 2025 and is best known for signing a 3-year, $45 million free-agent contract with the New York Jets in 2021 and tearing his Achilles tendon before he ever played in a regular-season game.
“Carl Lawson was a guy many Colts fans wanted when he hit free agency back in 2021 when he left Cincinnati,” Colts reporter Andrew Moore wrote on X. “Ended up going to the Jets. Only played one game with the Ravens last year. Had 5 sacks with the Cowboys in 2024. Worth a shot with Indy’s injuries at DE right now.”
Ravens in Desperate Place With Lawson Deal
The Ravens were down bad when they signed Lawson in 2025 with a 1-5 record and clinging to their playoff hopes — and with 1 of the NFL’s worst defenses.
“Sources: The Ravens are signing DE Carl Lawson after having him in for a workout,” Schultz wrote on his official X account on October 23, 2025. “Lawson notched 5 sacks last season with the Cowboys and has been waiting for the right opportunity.”
Lawson played in 2024 on a 1-year, $1.125 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys but spent the first 7 seasons of his career split between the Cincinnati Bengals and Jets.
Lawson Landed Massive Payday in 2021
Lawson, 6-foot-2 and 260 pounds, was a 4th-round pick (No. 116 overall) in the 2017 NFL Draft after earning All-American honors at Auburn in 2016 with 13 TFL and 9.0 sacks.
As a rookie in 2017, Lawson played in all 16 games for the Bengals and finished second on the team with a career high 8.5 sacks. He missed the final 9 games of the 2018 regular season with a torn ACL but returned to play 12 games in 2019 and finished with 5.0 sacks.
Lawson became a full-time starter for the first time in 2020 and finished with 5.5 sacks. That led to a 3-year, $45 million free-agent contract with the New York Jets in March 2021. He tore his Achilles tendon during a joint practice with the Green Bay Packers during training camp and missed the entire 2021 season.
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