The Buffalo Bills appear to be losing one of their top-defensive free agents, but they’re still going to be hearing from him.
According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the Bills will lose Lawson to their AFC rival, the Miami Dolphins.
The #Dolphins are expected to sign former #Bills first-round pass-rusher Shaq Lawson, sources say. He had 6.5 sacks last year and will help Miami affect the quarterback.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2020
Lawson’s deal is reportedly worth $10 million per season, a three-year, $30 million contract. The Bills previously declined his fifth-year option on his rookie contract last offseason, which made Lawson a free agent. Had Buffalo done so, they would have locked him up for one more year on a deal that would’ve been worth near $10 million.
Just hours prior to Lawson’s reported deal, an earlier report had suggested the Dolphins were interested in Lawson’s services. At the Bills’ locker cleanout day following their playoff loss to the Texans, the pass rusher said he’d be open to returning to the team. More recently he suggested wants more playing time or “opportunities” in the future.
The pass rusher had a career-high 6.5 sacks last season, a number which led his positional group. But Lawson only played in 47 percent of the team’s defensive snaps despite playing in 15 games. He also made no starts with the Bills. The Dolphins are likely going to play Lawson more than that, and hope that he’s going to produce more.
Lawson was also the final draft pick from the Bills’ previous front office, one led by general manager Doug Whaley, remaining on the team’s roster.
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