Ex-Bills Veteran Throws Subtle Shade at GM Brandon Beane on Twitter

Shaq Lawson may not be on track for a third stint with the Buffalo Bills.

The defensive end was a first-round draft pick of the Bills in 2016 and appeared in 50 games over the next four seasons before leaving to join the Miami Dolphins and then New York Jets. Lawson returned to the Bills last offseason, playing a key role in Sean McDermott’s defensive line rotation.

But Lawson has once again headed to free agency, and dropped a hint on Twitter that he may not be close to rejoining the team.

Shaq Lawson ‘Likes’ Criticism of Bills General Manager

Lawson took to Twitter on March 29 to offer what fans took as a cryptic remark on his status with the Bills. Lawson posted three laugh/crying emoji, prompting some concerned replies from Bills fans that he may not be getting far in the negotiation process with the team.

One person speculated that the team had made a low-ball offer and shared some criticism of Bills general manager Brandon Beane.

“Beane offered him a bag of chips and a gatorade for one year of his services,” the fan tweeted in reply, a response that Lawson then liked.

Lawson has previously shared his love of Buffalo and Bills fans and expressed regret for his decision to join the Miami Dolphins on a three-year, $30-million contract. In an interview with Spectrum News Buffalo last November, Lawson said it was the “worst decision” he could have made and went on to praise the Bills for allowing him to play to his defensive strengths.

“It’s home,” Lawson said of the Bills. “Coach McDermott let me be my dog. That’s big with me. Let me be myself. Me, I can’t fake it. If I got to fake it for you it’s going to be hard for me. McDermott just let me be myself. Once he came to me when I signed back and said ‘Be yourself. Be that dog you used to be.’ Once I got that, that okay to say so, it just opened my game up and made me feel more comfortable. I still got it. I haven’t lost it yet.”

Though Lawson may not have reached the potential of his first-round pick, he has been a solid pass-rusher for the Bills through both stints with the team. He appeared in six games for the Bills last season, registering 3.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits with 31 tackles.

Bills Bring Back Other Key Players

Despite Lawson liking a fan’s criticism of the Bills and the free-agency process, some insiders believe he could still be a strong candidate to return to the team. The Bills have already brought back a number of their own defensive free agents already, including safety Jordan Poyer and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips.

Prior to Phillips’ signing, Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle wrote that both he and Lawson would be good fits to return at the right price.

“Like Phillips, Lawson returned to Buffalo last year and also professed his love for the place,” Maiorana wrote. “He gave the Bills solid edge play and might be worth bringing back on a lower-end one- or two-year deal.”