Getty New York Jets edge rusher Carl Lawson.
The Kansas City Chiefs rank 23rd in the NFL in pass rush grade through five games (67.7), according to PFF. That’s an area of the defense that needs improvement even though the defense overall has been playing at an elite level this season.
Adding a veteran to the Chiefs’ young defensive line — specifically along the edge — is a move that could put Kansas City one step closer to winning back-to-back championships. That’s why Bill Barnwell suggested the Chiefs trade away reserve offensive lineman Lucas Niang and a 2024 sixth-round pick in exchange for New York Jets edge rusher, Carl Lawson.
“There aren’t many teams shopping tackles this time of year, but Niang has been buried on the Chiefs’ roster and has played just 10 offensive snaps over the past two seasons. The 2020 third-round pick is still more of a project than a plug-and-play replacement, but the Jets have taken chances on inexperienced, physical tackles in the past — such as George Fant — with some success,” Barnwell wrote on October 12. “Trading Lawson for a project tackle after paying the edge rusher $8 million this offseason would qualify as disappointing, but the Jets need offensive linemen more than backup edge rushers right now.”
What to Know About Carl Lawson
Carl Lawson, 28, entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017. During his four seasons with the Bengals, Lawson registered 81 quarterback hits, 20 sacks, and 19 tackles for loss, according to Pro Football Reference.
In 2021, Lawson signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Jets. He suffered a torn Achilles during joint practices the following summer, which knocked him out for the entirety of the 2021 season. In 2022, he recorded 24 quarterback hits, 9 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks in 17 regular season games played.
In three games played this season, Lawson has played only 23% of the team’s defensive snaps in those games and registered 3 tackles.
Carl Lawson Would Come at a Discounted Price
The most intriguing part of the trade proposal from Bill Barnwell is what Carl Lawson’s contract would look like for the remainder of the 2023 season.
According to Barnwell, Lawson only has $780,000 remaining on his contract, which makes him a very affordable trade option prior to the October 31 trade deadline.
Though Lucas Niang is nothing more than a reserve offensive lineman for Kansas City, he could provide stop-gap value for a New York squad that has been ravaged by injuries along the offensive line. That makes him a valuable trade chip for the Chiefs in this particular scenario.
“Niang would be a flier on the offensive line for the Jets, who are falling apart up front,” Barnwell wrote. “Duane Brown is on injured reserve after suffering a hip injury. The Jets moved Mekhi Becton from right tackle back to his usual spot on the left side and pushed Alijah Vera-Tucker out from guard to right tackle. But Vera-Tucker tore his Achilles against the Broncos, and he will miss the remainder of the season.”
According to Over the Cap, the Chiefs have $3.80 million in available cap space.
Given his current status with the Jets and Kansas City’s need in the pass rush department, Lawson is absolutely an option for the Chiefs ahead of the trade deadline.
The Chiefs need their defense to continue to be elite moving forward as they work out the kinks on offense, and adding Lawson would help them do just that without breaking the bank.
Kansas City is awaiting the return of defensive lineman Charles Omenihu, who signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the Chiefs this offseason. He is suspended for the six games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
The Chiefs will likely first want to see how Omenihu — who can play anywhere along the defensive line — integrates with the remainder of Kansas City’s front-seven before seeking out any potential trades for an edge rusher.