3 Bills who won’t be on the roster after training camp

Bills’ training camp cut candidate No. 1: Shaq Lawson, DE

This one’s the shocker.

Bills pass-rusher Shaq Lawson was re-signed to a one-year deal last April after a triumphant return to Buffalo in 2022. Lawson, a former first-round pick by the Bills, reunited with the franchise after two campaigns spent on rival teams. He immediately made an impact when Von Miller got injured in Week 12 of the 2022 season and was picked ahead of Boogie Basham and A.J. Epenesa to take Miller’s starting spot.

Lawson finished with 11 tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble in the final five games of that season. Solid stats overall.

So why is he on the list? It would be a jaw-dropping surprise to see Lawson get cut ahead of less experienced players, yet if the Bills like what they see from their young defensive end corps, Lawson may be ushered out to give more opportunities to others.

Having bounced around the AFC East, Lawson’s future with the Bills isn’t so cut-and-dried. He never established himself as a reliable starter in his first four years in Buffalo and hung out a little too long in free agency when he was released by the Jets.

Compared to Kingsley Jonathan or Shane Ray who could develop into long-term defensive stalwarts, Lawson’s NFL career is a ticking time bomb. Though he played his way into a starting role at the end of last season, strong training camp performances by Jonathan or Ray could push Lawson out on the street looking for his next team.