Bengals pass rusher Carl Lawson raising expectations for himself in second season

Many words can be used to describe Cincinnati Bengals edge defender Carl Lawson. Complacent, however, is not one of them.

After leading all rookies in sacks last season, Lawson set the bar relatively high for himself to improve in his second season. But his plan to do so is pretty straightforward.

“I feel like I can be ridiculously good,” Lawson proclaimed on Wednesday, via the Dayton Daily News, as he and the rest of the team reported to Paul Brown Stadium for the start of training camp on Thursday. “It’s just being able to be available. That’s been my thing my entire career. I’m constantly getting better. Each and every day I get better because I’m constantly looking at film, constantly in the weight room, constantly stretching. I’m always evolving. The main thing is just staying healthy, and I can take my game to heights nobody thinks I can take it to.”

Lawson knows the best ability in football is availability, and his availability will be counted on more so this season than the last. In his rookie year, Lawson registered 8.5 sacks, 16 tackles and 1 stuff in 16 games played. The hope is he sees the field much more this year and thus adds onto those numbers in a big way.

The Bengals roster posted on the team’s website has Lawson officially listed as a defensive end instead of a linebacker for the first time since he was drafted. What position Lawson is listed as doesn’t truly matter once he’s on the field, because he’s planning on doing one thing and one thing only when he’s in-between the white lines:

“Just dominate. Every play. That’s it.”

We should expect nothing less from one of the Bengals’ brightest young players.