The New York Jets find themselves in a far better position ahead of the 2023 NFL trade deadline than anyone expected after the Aaron Rodgers injury. However, there will be a few players on the trade block ahead of Oct. 31.
New York has one of the NFL’s best defenses for the second consecutive year and its offense is slowly improving thanks to second-year running back Breece Hall. With the young players stepping up on both sides of the ball and keeping the team’s playoff hopes alive, two veterans could be on their way out.
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According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Jets have let everyone around the NFL know that edge rusher Carl Lawson and running back Dalvin Cook are available ahead of the 2023 NFL trade deadline.
Lawson, the 6-foot-2 pass rusher, has previously popped up in NFL trade rumors. Signed to a three-year, $5 million contract early in the 2021 offseason, the veteran pass rusher has fallen out of favor in New York.
After missing the 2021 season due to a ruptured Achilles, Lawson came back in 2022 and recorded seven sacks in 17 games. However, the addition of first-round pick Jermaine Johnson and a breakout season from pass rusher Bryce Huff have pushed Lawson out of the rotation.
Cook is in a similar situation. New York brought him in to provide depth at running back, wanting him to help ease Hall back onto the field after an ACL tear midway through his rookie season. In Week 1, Cook received 16 touches and turned them into 72 yards.
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In the last five games, though, the former Minnesota Vikings star hasn’t eclipsed 24 rushing yards in a single contest. Furthermore, he’s become an afterthought in the offense with only 32 touches (6.4 per game) since Week 2.
Lawson is owed just a $1.08 million base salary this year and carries a $3 million cap hit, making it easy for New York to move. Given the number of teams always looking for more edge rushers, it’s likely that Lawson is traded for a Day 3 pick by Oct. 31. As for Cook, in a market with Leonard Fournette a free agent and no team interest in trading for Derrick Henry, the Jets might be lucky to get a 2026 seventh-round pick swap for Cook.