Ravens Sign Former Cowboys Pass Rusher

After a few weeks of the Baltimore Ravens' fan base begging for help off the edge, the team finally heard the cries and brought in some reinforcements.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Ravens have signed free agent defensive end Carl Lawson. The former Cincinnati Bengals defender worked out with the Ravens earlier in the week before signing with them.

Lawson took to social media to confirm the news was true.

"Back to the AFC North," he wrote on X.

Back to the AFC North 🙏🏾⚫️🟣 https://t.co/BCvF2Jo8XZ
— carl lawson (@carllawson55) October 23, 2025

Lawson was originally a fourth-round pick of the Bengals back in 2017. He played four seasons in Cincinnati before playing three seasons with the New York Jets. Lawson just finished up last year with the Dallas Cowboys.

He played in 89 career games, racking up 134 tackles, 122 quarterback hits, 32 tackles for loss, 32 sacks, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. Last year in Dallas, Lawson had 15 quarterback hits and five sacks for the Cowboys.

What Lawson can bring to a Ravens defense that needs pass-rushing help

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Carl Lawson | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

This season from the edge rusher position, the Ravens have gotten 15 quarterback hits and three sacks in six games. The problem with the numbers? Nine of the quarterback hits and two of the sacks come from guys who are either off the team or are on IR.

Tavius Robinson has two sacks and four quarterback hits, but he is on IR after breaking his foot in the Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Odafe Oweh still leads the Ravens in quarterback hits with five despite having been traded two weeks ago to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Baltimore is in desperate need of some consistent pass rushers off the edge. The Ravens are currently leaning on Kyle Van Noy and rookie second-round pick Mike Green to be the main guys rushing the quarterback.

Lawson may not impact the team this week since he's being signed so late in the week, but in the upcoming weeks, he can come in and be on the field for special passing situations. Watch for him early on to be a third-down pass rusher when the offense has to throw it.

This will be seen as a temporary band-aid for the Ravens, as fans still want the team to be aggressive at next month's trade deadline to add another edge rusher. If they can find one that can be an instant starter and help them make the postseason push, it'll make a world of difference for this franchise.

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