The Buffalo Bills will not pick up defensive end Shaq Lawson’s fifth-year contract option, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. As a first round pick in 2016, Lawson had signed a four-year contract with a team option for his fifth pro season, valued at the cost of the defensive end transition tag.
After an explosive junior season that saw 24.5 TFLs and 12.5 sacks, Lawson was the 19th overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. He hasn’t lived up to that level as a professional, with only 10 sacks and 12 TFLs in three seasons.