Defensive end Shaq Lawson has lost weight this offseason in a bid to stay healthy and productive for the Bills after two seasons that saw him fall short on both those fronts.
Those shortfalls have led coach Sean McDermott to say it is time for Lawson to step up and led to speculation about the 2016 first-round pick possibly being off the team come September. General Manager Brandon Beane did nothing to quiet that speculation by saying that “training camp will tell a lot about where his career in Buffalo is headed” and Lawson has heard all of it as he prepares for the 2018 season.
“Shoot, I’ve been on the trading block I feel like,” Lawson said, via Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic. “I’ve just been seeing it. Yeah, it’s been a wake-up call. I’ve been hearing trade rumors and then I kind of realized, ‘I’m a first-round pick, third-year now. It’s time to wake up.’ I know I’m a good player. I just have to put it all together and be not just a talented player but a talented player who works hard and works on his craft and skill all together.”
Lawson said that he’s approaching “every day like my job is on the line” and that urgency appears to be the appropriate response to the way the team feels about him.
