Based on his offseason, defensive end Carl Lawson thinks he’s headed toward a strong 2023 NFL season. But to have that season with the New York Jets, Lawson had to take a pay cut.

The former Auburn standout said agreeing to do was an “easy decision.”

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Lawson joined New York as a free agent in 2021 for a three-year, $45 million contract. Lawson was to be paid $15 million in 2023, the final season of the deal, and count $15.7 million against the Jets’ salary cap.

None of that 2023 money was guaranteed, so New York could have taken Lawson off the books completely by releasing him without owing him anything.

The new contract calls for Lawson to be paid $9 million for the 2023 season, with $8 million of that guaranteed. It also has incentives that could be worth another $3 million for Lawson.

The structure of the reworked contract cut $12.7 million off the Jets’ salary-cap obligations for 2023.

Lawson said he had several reasons for sticking with New York, including a divine one involving the Jets’ acquisition of quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers.

“First of all, it was like more so I love being here,” Lawson said. “And then, I have a lot of money, and I don’t really buy much. … If the quarterback was Rodgers, it’s almost like God is talking to me. My career started chasing this quarterback. I got four sacks against him, and my career damn near ended in the pursuit of this quarterback, so kind of a no-brainer from upstairs: ‘Hey, you need to be here.’”

Lawson recorded his career high for sacks in the Cincinnati Bengals’ 27-24 loss to the Packers during his rookie season. After joining the Jets, Lawson suffered a torn Achilles tendon during a joint training-camp practice with Green Bay that sidelined him for the 2021 NFL season.

“Yeah, there’s money other places you could be at,” Lawson said, “and I could go and get that money. But I plan on doing the stuff I wanted to do. And I’m still going to get that money back. I plan on playing until at least 35, so if I can’t make a couple of million dollars with what they’re paying defensive ends back, I mean, I must suck really, really bad. I need to go back in the gym.”

Lawson said he did not want to leave the Jets. For one thing, they “just got bison in the cafeteria.” For another, Lawson said, “Everybody has a mindset here to get better with what they want to do. Those are the type of people I want to be around.”

Lawson said he still was bothered by his Achilles-tendon injury in 2022, when he started every game, made 33 tackles, recorded seven sacks and registered 24 quarterback hits.

Lawson said this week that he has felt “tremendous” this offseason.

“It’s been a great offseason,” Lawson said. “Physically, it is the best one I’ve ever had, but most important spiritually. Yeah, it’s been great. …

“It’s been a long time. I haven’t felt like this, I think, since ever.”

His health has been one component of the “great offseason,” Lawson said. But so has finally acting on the advice of former Auburn standout Kevin Greene, a Pro Football Hall of Fame pass-rusher who died on Dec. 21, 2020 – an insight that Lawson has applied across the board, including his daily Bible study.

“I was talking to one of my mentors a long time ago,” Lawson said, “and he was like the only way to truly be great – it was Kevin Greene – he was like you have to have superior habits in everything you do. And I think this offseason that’s one thing that’s clicked with me.

“When he passed two years ago, it still didn’t even click then. But I think just having different injuries and different obstacles in my life has pushed me to that point.”

Not only did Lawson have to take a pay cut to stay with the Jets, but New York also used its first-round pick on Iowa State defensive end Will McDonald IV.

Lawson was asked if the combination had provided extra motivation to have a big season in 2023.

“I’ve been in the NFL for so long,” Lawson said. “I’ve never been on a winning team. I haven’t made my Pro Bowl. I haven’t made a Super Bowl. I’ve had multiple, multiple injuries, and I’ve come back better each time. That motivation that you’re talking about is a speck compared to some of the stuff that goes through my head every single day, so I guess I should add that to my list, but it’s really not even that big a deal.”

Lawson’s career high for sacks in a season is 8.5, when he led all rookies in the stat in 2017.

Lawson said he would have at least 10 sacks in 2023.

“That’s a goal,” Lawson said, “and it’s going to happen.”

The Jets concluded their offseason program on Friday. New York had a three-day mandatory minicamp scheduled for next week, but coach Robert Saleh canceled it.

The Jets will kick off the NFL’s 2023 preseason schedule on Aug. 3, when they square off against the Cleveland Browns in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.