Ravens Named Landing Spot for Former Bengals Star

The Baltimore Ravens could use some more depth on the edge.

After recording a league-high 60 sacks last season, the Baltimore Ravens will look to have similar success getting after the quarterback this coming season.

To do so, though, they’ll have to replace a good deal of production. Edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, who finished second on the team with 9.5 sacks, is now departed, as is linebacker Patrick Queen (3.5 sacks). Add in that defensive tackle Justin Madubuike is highly unlikely to repeat his 13-sack performance last season, and the Ravens could be in a bit of a bind.

That said, there are still some free agents available who could help the cause. One such player is defensive end Carl Lawson, who Bleacher Report believes would be a good fit in Baltimore.

“Carl Lawson is an intriguing option that makes sense,” Bleacher Report writes. “He dealt with a back injury for much of the 2023 campaign and was stuck in a deep defensive line rotation with the Jets but he’s only 28 and has solid production in previous seasons.”

Last season with the New York Jets, Lawson appeared in just six games and played just 101 defensive snaps, 24 percent of possible snaps. That sounds very concerning, but there’s more to a player than just their latest season.

A 2017 fourth-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals, Lawson racked up 27 sacks in his first five NFL seasons. His best season came as a rookie when he had 8.5 sacks, but he also had seven with the Jets in 2022.

Lawson has a good deal of talent to work with, and maybe joining a loaded Ravens front could be just what he needs to get back on track.