The Buffalo Bills bring former first round pick Shaq Lawson to solidify the defensive end position
One day after the Buffalo Bills announced they were bringing back defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, the team announced defensive end Shaq Lawson was returning to this defense as well. Lawson was the 19th overall pick in 2016 and played four seasons in Buffalo until he left in free agency in 2020.
He would sign a multi-year deal with the Miami Dolphins but play only one season with the team. Miami would end trading Lawson to the Houston Texans last offseason for linebacker Bernardrick McKinney.
However, Lawson’s time in Houston would last only a few months as the Texans would trade him to the New York Jets before the start of the 2021 season. Lawson played 14 games with the Jets, including seven starts, before being released before the end of the regular season.
In six seasons in the NFL, Lawson has 163 total tackles, 34 tackles for a loss, and 21.5 sacks with his best season being the last one he played in Buffalo. That year, he had career highs in sacks (6.5), tackles for a loss (13), and QB hits (18).
Shaq Lawson helps complete the defensive end position for the Buffalo Bills
Earlier in the week, the Buffalo Bills signed Von Miller who is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. There is no question that he is going to improve the defense and help a group that was inconsistent last year.
However, adding a player like Shaq Lawson can potentially make Von Miller even more effective. The reason is that Lawson does a good job against the run and with the way the coaching staff rotates on the defensive line, they can use Lawson on run downs which should help keep Miller fresh and able to focus primarily on rushing the passer.