Carl Lawson shows signs of being outstanding pass-rusher for Jets

It has been a generation since the Jets have had a generational pass rusher, an era so fraught with frustration it can be described simply with the names that underscore the disappointment.

Alex Gordon. Quinton Coples. Mo Wilkerson. Dewayne Robertson. And, of course, Vernon Gholston.

Not since Mark Gastineau, headliner of the vaunted New York Sack Exchange, have the Jets had a dominant pass rusher over a prolonged stretch. Oh, there have been some reliable rushers since then — 2000 first-round classmates Shaun Ellis and John Abraham come to mind. But the Jets have yet to find someone who can be the type of game-changing player that every team covets.

But if what we’re seeing out of newly signed Carl Lawson is any indication, there is a chance the long wait is over.

Now, let’s remember that it’s still early August, no games have been played, and first-year coach Robert Saleh is still installing his defense to fit the personnel with his new gig. But there is still enough of a track record of Lawson’s past performance in Cincinnati, where his excellence was overlooked because he played for mostly woeful teams, to offer at least a baseline for success with the Jets.

And sometimes you just see it from a player in training camp — even without the benefit of many padded practices — that there’s just something special going.

Lawson is already showing more than just flashes of excellence as he dominates virtually every practice there is while going against second-year tackle Mekhi Becton, who is coming off a highly promising rookie season and will likely become one of the league’s premier tackles.

"You watch the tape, he beats everybody," Saleh said Tuesday. "I think he was top three in pressures and quarterback hits [with the Bengals]. It’s not foreign to him to win [one-on-one matchups]. But what’s cool, though, is his work ethic and the way he goes about his day-to-day process."

Saleh recalled a saying he likes to use in describing Lawson, who signed a three-year, $45 million deal as one of the Jets’ marquee free agent acquisitions.

"‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,’" Saleh said. "This dude, not only is he talented, but he works his absolute butt off. And because of it, you see results."

Day-in and day-out, Lawson is one of the stars at every training camp practice. But it’s not that much of a surprise to Saleh.

"You hear about the character, you hear about stuff, you do a lot of research," the coach said. "Credit to [general manager] Joe [Douglas] and his staff. You don’t just pass out dollars to someone because they make plays. There’s got to be a marriage in terms of philosophy and what you want out of that player. He exemplifies everything that we covet in a player, so it’s very easy to hand out big paychecks to people who represent themselves like he does."

We won’t get too far ahead of ourselves because there’s still a long way to go before Lawson’s impact on the Jets is known. Keep in mind, too, that we’re not talking about Reggie White or Lawrence Taylor here. Not when Lawson comes into the season with 20 career sacks and no double-digit production in any of his four seasons with the Bengals.

But you have to like the connection here because a relentless player and a persistent coach who will find a way to put Lawson in position to succeed — just as Saleh did with the 49ers’ pass rush during his time as San Francisco’s defensive coordinator.

And the coach knows how difficult it is to find pass rushers — we’re talking big-time, legit sack specialists — for a sport in which the demand outstrips the supply.

"I think it’s historically hard in general," Saleh said. "I always argue that for every [opposing] quarterback, you need two great edge rushers, and they’re hard to come by. There are good edge rushers around the league, don’t get me wrong. But the ones that transcend the game, they’re rare through the history of time."

Lawson may just be one of them.

"To be able to get one in this building like Carl, it’s awesome," Saleh said, "especially with the push we should be able to get from the middle of the defensive line."

Maybe, just maybe, the Jets have found their answer.

By Bob Glauber

Special to NewsdayBobGlauber

Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”