The Buffalo Bills have a number of big decisions to make this offseason. Among them will be deciding on the future of defensive end Shaq Lawson.
The Bills must decide whether to pick up Lawson's fifth-year option. General manager Brandon Beane said during an appearance on WGR 550 that Buffalo will not rush to make a decision:
“We’ve still got time. Right now, our focus is on the draft,” Beane said. “Shaq’s out training, and we’ve checked in with him through a couple of people a couple of times just to see how he’s doing, but I know he’s looking forward to coming back. We’ll probably wait and approach that a little bit closer to the deadline.”
Beane's comments are certainly understandable. The Bills have until May 3 to exercise their fifth-year option on Lawson's rookie contract. A lot can happen between now and then with the 2019 NFL Draft just weeks away.
Buffalo made quite an investment in Shaq Lawson when it selected him with the 19th pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He has shown plenty of promise at times, registering 78 tackles, 10 sacks, and four forced fumbles in his first three seasons. Unfortunately, he has had a rough time staying healthy, missing 13 games during that time.
As a result, it seems Beane is hesitant to commit to Lawson on a long-term basis. There is no question that the Bills are trying to shore up their pass rush this offseason after reports surfaced about their interest in defensive end Ziggy Ansah. Regardless, it remains to be seen if Lawson will be part of their long-term plans.
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