3 backup plans for Cleveland Browns now that J.J. Watt is off the market

1. Carl Lawson

With Watt off the board, it’s clear at this point that the best fit for the Browns is the former Bengal, Carl Lawson. After having a massive rookie year with 8.5 sacks, the statistics have slowed down, but there is a lot of rumors out there that the Bengals didn’t know how to fully utilize Lawson.

Lawson was the only pressure creator on the Bengals defense which also drew a ton of double teams and gave opportunities to his teammates rather than himself. In Cleveland, this would be the opposite for Lawson. He would have so many one-on-one situations that he could find himself with 12 plus sacks in 2021.

Lawson is the perfect fit in all ways. He’s a great pass rusher, is efficient in the run game, and is coming from a similar defensive scheme in Cincinnati. Where Lawson isn’t the perfect fit, there will likely be a ton of teams after his services which could create a bidding war.

The good news for the Cleveland Browns, Lawson appears to be motivated to win after four long years in Cincinnati which will hopefully give them the upper hand. Teams like the Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (if they can’t come to terms with Shaq Barrett) could also be in the mix for Lawson.

To me, it looks like it likely comes down to the Colts and Browns. With the Colts recently bringing in Carson Wentz, the team may focus more on offensive weapons than adding to a defense that was already strong in 2020.