The New York Jets won’t see their marquee free-agent addition defensive end Carl Lawson in action this season. The team confirmed on Thursday that Lawson ruptured his Achilles during a joint practice with the Green Bay Packers and will be out for the 2021 NFL campaign.
Lawson’s injury wasn’t the end of the bad news for the Jets on Thursday. The team also lost second-year safety Zane Lewis, who suffered torn patellar tendon and a sprained MCL and will join Lawson on the sidelines for the rest of the year.
Jets had big hopes for Carl Lawson after signing him to a three-year, $45 million contract in the offseason. The new head coach Robert Saleh envisioned Lawson as the primary edge-rusher and banked on him to lift the Jets defense that struggled with production in recent years.
Lawson, a fourth-round pick out of Auburn in 2017, spent the first four years of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s racked up 81 tackles, 20 sacks, 83 QB hits, and two forced fumbles since coming to NFL.
Bryce Huff, who signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2020, is expected to be the No. 1 option to fill the hole left by Lawson’s injury. Huff played 14 games last season, managing 16 tackles and two sacks.
Lewis was another undrafted free agent pickup for the Jets last year. He was set to provide depth and play on special teams this season after not seeing any playing action in 2020.
