Carl Lawson spoke to Jets coach Robert Saleh for the first time on Thursday, but the new Jets Pass Rusher is already a fan.
“It really started some time ago,” said Lawson of what attracted him to the Jets. “I researched some things on YouTube about Coach Saleh. I heard about him throughout the championship and saw that he accepted the position here. I looked at some of his interviews and ended up with how impressive he was, the message he was preaching. Even in a video, I felt like he was talking to me. This was in the back of my mind. It kind of started there. “
While Lawson may love his new coach, there is no doubt that the Jets helped make his free agency decision easier by offering him a three-year, $ 45 million contract with a guaranteed $ 30 million.
“There were a number of reasons,” said Lawson of his decision. “Obviously, everyone can see that money was one of them. It is quite obvious that it is one of them, but it was not the greatest. “
Lawson arrives at the Bengals’ Jets. He was chosen in the fourth round of 2017 that flourished in a fast-passing force. His sack number is modest (20 in four years), but he is respected in the league for getting pressure on the quarterback and stopping attacks. The Jets are catching a player who is entering his peak and will be 26 when the season arrives.
“The biggest strength I have is the desire to improve and get better, along with my athletic characteristics,” said Lawson. “I have all the athletic characteristics to be as good as I want to be. You combine this with a commitment to improve. The contract is great. But it was more important to be able to take care of my family. But now something that comes with the contract is that I should only be concerned with my job. “
The breach of contract, which Lawson signed on Thursday, has guaranteed salaries of $ 6.2 million in 2021 and $ 15 million in 2022, a $ 7.8 million bonus he will receive next week and a signing bonus of $ 1 million with a salary of $ 15 million in 2023 that is not guaranteed. It also has an annual incentive of $ 800,000 for bags.
“They really wanted me here,” said Lawson, who declined to say how much Bengals or any other team showed for him. “It speaks volumes to me.”
The Jets spent a lot of money on Lawson to improve his passing race. He is the first pass player they have invested in since Calvin Pace in 2008. Lawson comes for a team that finished 2-14 last year and lost the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons. Jets general manager Joe Douglas is hiring players that he hopes can not only turn the team on the pitch, but also build a winning culture.
“I’m looking forward to building with the New York Jets,” said Lawson. “There is a lot of optimism, especially coming from a bad season. I look forward to working. I love the process. I play Madden because I love making teams ”.
Now he can play with the Jets at Madden and in real life. He will see what Saleh can do for him after studying him on YouTube.
“I think it will do wonders for my career,” said Lawson. “I’m excited to be playing here. I’m excited to be a Jet. I am arriving with all the optimism in the world. “