The Jets bolstered their pass rush before the beginning of the regular season, trading for Texans defensive end Shaq Lawson on Sunday afternoon, according to multiple reports.
New York is sending a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft to Houston in exchange for Lawson, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. The Jets originally acquired the selection in a trade with the 49ers for Jordan Willis last October.
Lawson comes to the Jets after recording 32 tackles, 18 quarterback hits, four sacks, four tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one pass deflection in 14 games (seven starts) with the Dolphins last season. A former first-round pick of the Bills in 2016, Lawson spent his entire career playing in the AFC East prior to signing with the Texans this offseason.
In five NFL seasons, Lawson has totaled 140 tackles, 56 quarterback hits, 29 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks. Lawson registered a career-high 6.5 sacks with the Bills in 2019, playing a key role in Buffalo’s run to the postseason.
Lawson will slot into the Jets’ right defensive end rotation once he arrives in New York. Robert Saleh and Jeff Ulbrich used Ronald Blair, Bryce Huff, Hamilcar Rashed Jr. and Jabari Zuniga to replace Carl Lawson after the prized free agent signing suffered a ruptured Achilles in joint practices with the Packers.
