49ers Urged to Pursue Former $45 Million ‘Buy Low’ Pass Rusher

Getty There is a lot that makes sense about 49ers rumors concerning Carl Lawson.

It has not been a banner season with the Jets for edge rusher Carl Lawson, and that should be something worth noting for the 49ers. Because as good as the defense has been in San Francisco, especially with the acquisition of pass rusher Chase Young this year, it’s unlikely the 49ers will be able to keep all their pieces together because of the salary cap. That means they will need to find useful, low-cost pieces for next year, which means there will be ample 49ers rumors connecting the team to players looking to rebuild their value.

That will be the situation for Carl Lawson after a bummer of a year in New York. And at Pro Football Focus, they’re already foreseeing Lawson as an ideal future 49ers pass-rusher who can be had at a bargain price in 2024 NFL free agency.

“The 49ers have a lot of major financial commitments to figure out going forward, so continuing to get a lot out of rotational pieces will provide a huge benefit. Lawson could be a perfect buy-low candidate and boost his stock in San Francisco,” the site wrote in its latest occasional “NFL Needs Tracker” article.

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,” PFF wrote. “However, there’s no indication a problem exists between the player and the organization, and perhaps a fresh start in a familiar system could get him back on track. Lawson tore his Achilles in 2021 and hasn’t quite looked like the same player since, but he still earned a 72.8 pass-rushing grade with 49 pressures and eight sacks in 2022.”

What Will the Team do With Chase Young?

Of course, one of the 49ers rumors most of us would like to see come to fruition is the maintaining of the status quo on the defensive front—that is, simply keeping Chase Young around. The problem with that is the 49ers would likely have to sell out depth elsewhere to make it happen in their payroll structure.

Young, according to Spotrac, has a projected value of $13.6 million per year. The team also needs to extend wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and keep defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw. According to Spotrac, the 49ers are already $14 million over the cap for next season. It’s pretty easy to foresee a salary crunch there.

And that’s where Carl Lawson could come in. The 49ers should still be competing for a Super Bowl next year. That makes them a pretty good fit for a player like him, in need of a prove-it season.