Former Jet Shaq Lawson Returning to AFC East Rival

Bills re-sign veteran defensive end, who will play a seventh season as a member of Gang Green's division

A familiar edge rusher is staying in the AFC East division.

The Buffalo Bills are bringing Shaq Lawson back on a one-year deal per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

The former Clemson star, who was the Bills’ first-round pick in 2016, has played for three of the four AFC East franchises during his NFL tenure. Currently in his second stint with Buffalo, the 6-foot-3 defensive end spent 2020 in Miami and played with Gang Green in 2021.

In one season with the Jets, Lawson made 14 appearances (7 starts) and recorded 23 combined stops, 1.0 sack, one interception and one fumble recovery. After the edge rusher logged 534 regular season snaps, Gang Green released Lawson right before the 2021 regular season finale.

Lawson still appeared slightly bothered by his Jets' departure while speaking during a Week 15 postgame interview this past December.

After the Bills secured back-to-back wins over Lawson's former teams, the smiling edge rusher said, "Oh yea, it was personal. The last two games [against the Jets and Dolphins] was personal." He notched a sack in each of the victories.

For the second straight week, Shaq Lawson helped the Bills beat a former team of his.

When he was asked after Saturday's win if these two were extra motivating...

"They paid me all that bread to come over there, then they traded me...yea it was personal." 😤#BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/gTANLEVXZq

— Jackson Roberts (@JrobertsTV_) December 19, 2022

Lawson made 15 appearances, including six starts, for the Bills during the 2022 regular season. He totaled 30 tackles, nine quarterback hits and 3.5 sacks.

The Rex Ryan regime, which outwardly fawned over Clemson players, made Lawson the Bills' first-round draft pick in 2016. He left in free agency following the completion of his rookie contract, but eventually returned to Buffalo in the 2022 offseason.

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