New Lion Lawrence Jackson Confident He'll Thrive In 4-3 Defense
You can't blame defensive end Lawrence Jackson for feeling just a bit befuddled by what has transpired his first two seasons in the NFL.
He was drafted in the first round by Seattle in 2008 after a stellar four-year career at USC (52 tackles, 30.5 sacks). Yet, the Seahawks used him mostly as a run-stopper.
"It was kind of frustrating to come in and be told that this is what you're going to be able to do and that you're behind a couple of other guys and you're going to have to get in where you can fit in," said Jackson, obtained by the Lions on Wednesday for a sixth-round pick in 2011. "There aren't a lot of guys in the top 20 in sacks who don't play on third down. Usually they're going to get a chance to rush the passer."
