Bills give new deal to veteran pass rusher prior to NFL Draft
The Buffalo Bills are making one highly necessary roster move a couple of weeks before the 2023 NFL Draft. Shaq Lawson, who started six games for the Bills last year, is being brought back on a one-year deal per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. The move bolsters the team's pass rush in a way that can't […]
The Buffalo Bills are making one highly necessary roster move a couple of weeks before the 2023 NFL Draft.
Shaq Lawson, who started six games for the Bills last year, is being brought back on a one-year deal per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.
The move bolsters the team's pass rush in a way that can't be overlooked. Following Von Miller's injury last year, Lawson stepped up as the team's No. 2 in the critical position.
And while he's no game-changer, it eliminates some of the urgency the Bills will have on Draft Day. That is to say, they won't be in a spot in which they have to "reach" for an edge rusher and instead stick to taking the best players available.
In 2022, Lawson totaled 3.5 sacks and six tackles for loss. Per Pro Football Focus, he totaled 20 pressures.
Although he only played in 44.4% of the team's defensive snaps, such a percentage still led all Bills' defensive ends, per Pro Football Reference.
The move feels particularly important considering Miller's early-season status remains a question mark.
Lawson rejoins a Bills pass-rushing unit that includes Von Miller, A.J. Epenesa, Gregory Rousseau, Kingsley Jonathan, and Carlos Basham Jr. At the very least, this should make for a very fun group of players battling it out in training camp later in the year.
Lawson was drafted in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Bills. After two years away from the team in 2020-2021, he returned to Buffalo prior to last season. Now he's back for another year.
