The Dallas Cowboys had a pretty successful OTAs and mandatory minicamp this spring as the Brian Schottenheimer era begins in the Lone Star State.
Now the Cowboys will turn their attention to the training camp, which will take place in Oxnard, California. Rookies and vets will report to camp on July 21, as several players will be looking to win spots on the 53-man roster.
While the current Cowboys will prepare to make the trek out west, a few former Dallas players are still waiting to receive a phone call from a team to sign or at least work out.
Former Cowboys DE Carl Lawson Still Without a Job Weeks Before Training Camp
One of those ex-Cowboys hoping to get a call is veteran defensive end Carl Lawson. Lawson is among the veteran pass rushers (Za’Darius Smith, Matt Judon, Jadeveon Clowney, and Von Miller) still in free agency after seeing multiple teams take rookie edge rushers in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Cowboys addressed their pass rush in free agency and the NFL draft. In April’s draft, they selected former Boston College standout Donovan Ezeiruaku in the second round.
The 29-year-old Lawson joined the Cowboys last August on a one-year deal as Dallas needed more defensive line depth following Sam Williams’ season-ending injury. Lawson did not make the Cowboys’ 53-man roster out of preseason, but they immediately signed him to the practice squad.
The veteran defensive lineman was elevated three times from the practice squad during the first month of the season before Dallas promoted him to the active roster on October 9.
Lawson appeared in 15 games (three starts) and played 41 percent of defensive snaps. He had 19 QB pressures, 15 combined tackles, 15 quarterback hits, five sacks, four tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
For a guy on a one-year deal, the veteran defender was solid when his number was called. The last time Lawson had at least five sacks in a season was in 2022 with the New York Jets (7.5).
According to Pro Football Focus, Lawson had a 64.8 pass rush grade (81st among 211 EDGEs) and a 58.8 run defense (116th). While the veteran defensive lineman left much to be desired in stopping the run, he was adequate at rushing the passer.
Therefore, it’s puzzling why the veteran defensive lineman has yet to be signed. He would cost less than Judon, Smith, Clowney, and even Miller, and showed that he could be productive on a one-year deal.
That said, the veteran’s market might not move until those other guys get signed. But as we saw last year, he became a solid pickup for Dallas in the middle of training camp. And the same thing might happen this summer.