They say you gotta go back to actually move forward.
The Buffalo Bills have taken that phrase to heart this season, bringing back a number of former players in hopes of bolstering many positions of need. And on Tuesday, the Bills welcomed another familiar face back into the fold.
Following a tryout on Monday, former first-round pick Shaq Lawson signed to the team’s practice squad for what will be his third stint in Buffalo. In a corresponding move, the Bills released Andre Jones Jr.
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Shaq Lawson
Buffalo Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson (90) celebrates after a play against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Lawson was selected by Buffalo with the 19th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the year before Sean McDermott took over as head coach and Brandon Beane took over as general manager. He played the first four seasons of his career with the Bills from 2016 through the 2019 season and later returned to Buffalo for the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.
The 31-year-old had a cup of coffee with the Carolina Panthers this past season, when he was signed on Oct. 8, 2024 but later released on Oct. 22. He has been mainly out of football since the 2023 season, when he appeared in 16 games for the Bills, recording 13 tackles and one sack while playing 33% of the team’s defensive snaps.
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Shaq Lawson
Oct 15, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson (90) warms up before a game New York Giants at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Buffalo is hurting at the edge-rusher position, with several injuries besieging the team this season. Free-agent addition Michael Hoecht is out for the year due to an Achilles injury, while rookie Landon Jackson has joined him on IR due to a knee injury. Due to their absences, the Bills have been forced to play defensive tackles DaQuan Jones and T.J. Sanders on the edge, while 2024 fifth-round pick Javon Solomon has also seen an uptick in playing time. Despite the injuries, the Bills are middle of the pack in terms of pressure rate (34.8%, 15th) and sacks (26, T-15th) this season.
Lawson joins another recent signee, Morgan Fox, as the two edge rushers on the Bills’ practice squad.
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