The Cincinnati Bengals got Carl Lawson back on the field for the team’s third preseason game.
As expected — to match his summer-long hype train — Lawson put on a show, making the lives of New York Giants quarterbacks difficult by blowing past big-money guys like Nate Solder.
Lawson, who says he feels faster after knee surgery, told the media he has some elite developments offensive linemen will have to counter:
“Elite moves, I have three … you’ve got to defend all three. So now, I’ll just keep working. I’ve got an inside move, a power move and now I’ve got a speed move. In the offseason, I was really just working on (my) speed and getting that half second faster. Like I’ve said many times before, I don’t feel I have trouble beating people; I just think I wasn’t getting there fast enough.”
Lawson coming into his own in 2019, feeling faster and developing more moves at the point of attack, is a scary proposition for any offensive lineman set to encounter the Bengals.
While Lawson isn’t technically listed as a starter on the depth chart with Sam Hubbard and Carlos Dunlap on the edges, he’s bound to play a high percentage of snaps — and that 8.5-sack number from his rookie year is looking easily obtainable, at least based on what he’s put on tape in camp and through one preseason game.
With Lawson, the main thing will always be staying healthy. He only played in seven games last year and knee and hip injuries in college seemingly hurt his draft stock.
Fully healthy again, Lawson says he’s better than the last time he took the field in a meaningful game, which means all eyes should be on No. 58 in Seattle to start the regular season.
