NFL PLAYER NEWS

Bengals DE Lawson eyes Week 1 return

Field Level Media

July 09, 2019 at 1:39 am.

Sep 30, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson (58) sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Sep 30, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carl Lawson (58) sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Carl Lawson expects to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season after undergoing surgery on a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Lawson, 24, has 9 1/2 sacks over his first two seasons with the Bengals, who drafted him in the fourth round out of Auburn in 2017.

“The goal is to be out there Week 1, and I’m feeling great,” Lawson said in comments published by NFL.com. “Thankfully, I can take care of my body. I’ve got a lot of different resources, I can fly to places, I can do everything underneath the sun because I have the money to do it. So, it’s been a great rehab process.”

Lawson looks forward to playing for new coach Zac Taylor. The Bengals went 6-10 last season.

“You can expect a lot, but at the same time, in this league, that’s what separates different teams, being able to be healthy throughout the season,” he said. “I think the main thing is being able to have that depth, and that carry over, when things do happen. You know, because everybody’s like ‘Oh, well if we were healthy, if this or that, whatever’ — not that many injuries as we had last year — but I think you can expect a lot from us.”