Buffalo Bills: 4 pending free agents Bills need to re-sign

Shaq Lawson

There will be a debate over the next few weeks about whether the Bills should bring back Jordan Phillips, Shaq Lawson or both. However, there is a stronger case that the front office should prioritize bringing back Lawson this offseason over Phillips.

The first is that the depth at defensive end is questionable at best. The position group currently is constructed of Jerry Hughes, Trent Murphy and Darryl Johnson. However, Hughes is 31 years of age and is coming off a down year, Murphy has a history of injuries and while Johnson flashed a bit as a rookie, it is hard to rely on him in his second year.

Meanwhile, Lawson showed improvement this past year and there is a case that 2019 was his best season in the NFL. He finished the year with 32 total tackles and 6.5 sacks and at only 25 years of age, he could just start hitting his potential.

Based on the concerns at the position, it would not be surprising if the front office brought in not one but two pass rushers this offseason. If they are able to work out a fair contract, bringing back Lawson helps alleviate some of that pressure and the Buffalo Bills then could add another defensive end in either free agency or the NFL Draft.