Demarcus Lawrence rumors: 5 best fits in NFL free agency
1. New York Jets
The New York Jets are far from a finished product but coming to terms on a deal with a player like Lawrence is a top priority. New team defensive coordinator Gregg Williams would be thrilled to see D-Law in the big apple.
In 2018, the Jets went 4-12 and had an incredibly frustrating year on the defensive end of the ball. Other than budding-star Jamal Adams, the defensive personnel was less than spectacular.
The team sacked opposing signal-callers 39 times last season. Like many teams on this list, that number ranked towards the bottom of the league.
The Jets had a tie for the team lead in sacks as outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins and defensive end Henry Anderson both had seven. With Anderson set to become a free agent, the team should feel no need to bring him back.
Anderson is built for a 3-4 style of defense, and Williams doesn’t run that. Williams is known for his aggressive 4-3, and a prominent player like Lawrence would absolutely thrive in that system. Need proof? Look at Myles Garrett.
The Jets are second behind the Colts in terms of highest available cap space. While adding weapons around the offense and Sam Darnold is a priority, they may look to do that via the draft.
Yes, the team spent big money on a defensive free agent last year, Trumaine Johnson, and he flopped in his first year in New York. However, adding Lawrence to a Williams’ defense, and next to a player like Leonard Williams, would help the Jets continue to make the correct steps forward.