The Cowboys should bring back Carl Lawson.
The Dallas Cowboys have a long list of unrestricted free agents who will officially hit the open market in a little over two months. Of those, six or seven were significant contributors in 2024, meaning the Cowboys have some difficult decisions ahead of them in the next two months.
We continue our free agent profile series as we examine a player who was one of the most pleasant surprises on Dallas’ 2024 roster, defensive end Carl Lawson.
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images
2024 Regular Season Stats: 15G, 27 Total Pressures, 15 QB Hurries, 6 QB Hits, 6.0 Sacks, 9.4 Pass-Rush Win%
Year Review: Veteran defensive end Carl Lawson waited late in the summer to sign with a team for the 2024 campaign. After playing the past two seasons with the New York Jets, Lawson went unsigned as a free agent until mid-August, when the Cowboys signed the veteran to a one-year deal.
Dallas signed Lawson to beef up their pass rush group that suffered a significant blow when third-year-pro Sam Williams went down with a season-ending injury early in training camp. The 29-year-old did not see the field much during the first four weeks of the regular season, but when both Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence went down in Week 4, Lawson was immediately thrust into a much more significant role.
Over Dallas’ final 13 regular season games, Lawson recorded 24 total pressures and six sacks, tied for the third-highest in a single season during his career. Lawson recorded two or more pressures in eight of those final 13 games, and his 9.4% pass-rush win rate was the third-best on Dallas’ defense throughout the entire season.
Overall, Lawson turned out to be a great, low-risk signing for the Cowboys. The veteran had a big-time bounce-back year and was a key part of Dallas’ pass rush improvement in the second half of the season.
Free Agency Outlook: Lawson’s 2024 performance has helped assure he’ll certainly earn more than the one-year, $1.1M deal he signed with the Cowboys last August. While it’s still unlikely a team is willing to commit more than two years to the veteran, he’ll have a chance to at least double, and maybe triple, his AAV from his Dallas deal when he hits the open market.
A comparable deal to what Lawson may end up agreeing to this offseason is the contract signed by former Cowboy Dante Fowler Jr. last March. Coming off a season where he recorded 36 total pressure and five sacks, Fowler agreed to a one-year, $3.2M contract with the Washington Commanders.
Lawson’s 2024 performance is similar to what Fowler achieved in Dallas during the 2023 season, and the duo will be the same age when they hit free agency. There’s a very good chance Lawson will earn a very similar contract this spring.
Cowboys Verdict: A few weeks back, Lawson spoke publicly about being “100 percent” open to re-signing with the Cowboys in free agency.
Considering he’s formed “bonds that are gonna last a lifetime” in Dallas, those having been formed in the crucible of adversity, might Lawson’s “where” be in a Cowboys uniform in 2025?
He’s certainly open to the idea.
“Oh, one hundred percent,” he said. “One hundred percent.”
A reunion makes plenty of sense for both sides. Re-signing Lawson wouldn’t require a long-term commitment from the Cowboys, and having him back would help their pass rush depth in a big way. Dallas is potentially looking at losing both DeMarcus Lawrence and Osa Odighizuwa in free agency, meaning they’ll need to do anything they can to retain affordable pass rushers like Lawson.
With Lawson interested in returning and the Cowboys needing to secure roster depth, there seems to be a good shot the veteran will be back in Dallas next season.
Prediction: Carl Lawsons signs a one-year, $3.5M deal with the Dallas Cowboys
