NFL Free Agency: Shaq Lawson signs a new contract with Buffalo

After rejoining the Buffalo Bills for a one-year stint a second time around, defensive end Shaq Lawson is set to cash in on NFL free agency again. According to NFL insider Mike Garafolo, the former Clemson defensive lineman is signing another one-year deal. The terms of the deal are still under wraps.

Lawson, a former first-round pick by the Bills in the 2016 NFL Draft class, has had one-year stints with the New York Jets (2021) and Miami Dolphins (2020). He played for Buffalo from 2016-19. The deal he signed for the Bills last offseason netted him $1.187 million.

In seven seasons in the league, Shaq Lawson has managed to ring up 178 tackles, 25 sacks, an interception and 14 passes defended. He’s coming off a 28-tackle campaign for the Bills in 2022.

More on the 2023 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2023 calendar year began at 4 p.m. ET on March 15. At that time, contracts running through 2022 officially ran out, making those players free agents.

Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams had a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 7.

The legal negotiation period spanned from March 13 through March 15. The new year marked the beginning of all trades going official per the league office. April 21 marks the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 26, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hits. There were 722 players due to hit free agency in 2023.

More on restricted, exclusive rights free agents

Players with only three years of accredited NFL experience become restricted free agents. Their original team will have the option to apply first-round, second-round, original-round, and right-of-fight-of-first-refusal tenders on players at escalating price tags. The higher the round, the more expensive the tender amount; however, if a separate team does offer a contract and the original team does not match that round pick will be conveyed from the new team to the original team. Right of first refusal only gives a team the option to match or not. If they don’t match, they get nothing in return. An original-round tender would send a draft pick from whatever round the player was drafted back to the original team if they chose not to match. The original team will have five days to match once a player signs an offer sheet from a new team.