Do Bills pick up Shaq Lawsons 5th year option?

[billsredneck1]

4 hours ago, Chemical said:

 

I also hate how sacks are counted. If hypothetically a guy had 8 half sacks that’s 8 good plays, but it shows up as 4 sacks. It should be separate numbers for example 5 sacks and 3 half sacks 

 

Also, what about having him gain 10 lbs and putting him inside? Heard Sal Capaccio say today on WGR that Ed Oliver’s playing weight will be around 270-275 so why not try Shaq there?

he was on onebillslive and said he is much stronger than last year. i wouldn't be surprised in him being a draft day trade.....especially since there seems to be no talk of talks.

 

however,  i think they would/ should consider kicking him inside. if they did that and rotated murphy , the new guy and love at end along with having lorax to get after it, we could be ok as is,  if we really get shut out and put in the position of having to overdraft at 9.

 

that's one option that would allow them to go after tj or taylor if bpa.

 

they could also use him in a trade up, trade down or trade for picks.  ( trade him to seattle along with a 2020 2nd for clark?)

 

if i'm paying him , he's gotta play inside....which would allow for an edge with the 1st pick. i actually think he would benefit from the move.

instead of having more ground to cover at end and being ridden around the arc,  i think straight ahead he could be a constant disruption and pocket collapsing type player.

 

i think they have all options ready for any way things may fall.  i believe they will do something no one saw coming.

Edited April 16, 2019 by billsredneck1

[billsredneck1]

1 hour ago, I'm Spartacus said:

Depends on Trent Murphy (or how the Bills brass view Murphy).

Lawson might prove to be a better option than Murphy, with a lower dollar investment?

i think this is the year that we need to get a quality dt and edge to groom for dropping star$ and trent$ in the next year or so.

 

replacing lorax ain't gonna be easy, but having him here in the locker room this year is like having an extra coach.  i'm still not giving up on trent and really think he can have a come back year.

[Simon Says]

5 hours ago, freester said:

I hope so.  I thought it was  a mistake when we didn't pick up Sammy Watkins option year and I think this would be a similar mistake.  I have a hunch that Shaq could get traded either at the draft or shortly after. Not picking up his option will further reduce his trade value I really like him and think he's about to blossom into a really good player.

Picking up the option will cost ,what, 9 or 10 million? Could THAT salary hurt his trade value? Might get a hint of Beane's plan for Shaq as the draft unfolds. Another thougth is to NOT pick up the option and use it toward extending Hughes or another vet

[ndirish1978]

They need to extend Lawson and Hughes after the draft. Lawson does a great job setting the edge. He doesn't get sacks but he is a productive player for us who, on the market,  is worth less than what his 5th year option would be.

[T master]

7 hours ago, freester said:

I hope so.  I thought it was  a mistake when we didn't pick up Sammy Watkins option year and I think this would be a similar mistake.  I have a hunch that Shaq could get traded either at the draft or shortly after. Not picking up his option will further reduce his trade value I really like him and think he's about to blossom into a really good player.

 

Yah picking up Sammy's was a huge mistake since he's been gone he's turned the league on it's ear dude has been unstoppable ? If Shaq has a season better than last years then i would say maybe pick up his option but to this point he hasn't been all that some due in part to injury !

 

The best thing that happened for him was Beane bringing in Murph that lit a fire under his arss & he did better but he still isn't playing up to his draft status, he is a good rotational player at this point & he can definitely contribute but he isn't worth the money they are throwing around for guys in the league that play the same position !! 

 

So i think it's smart they don't pick up the option, make him work for his pay day & prove he's worth the cash then move forward with him don't put the contract before the production !! 

[Formerly Allan in MD]

Depends on who or what they intend to draft.

[Nick the Greek]

I like Shaq and thought he played hard last season. He fought Leonard Fornette when we beat the Jags. I’ll never forget that, the guy had heart. 

 

I’d hate to see him go, unlike most posters in this thread. 

[BADOLBILZ]

4 hours ago, BarleyNY said:

5th year options are only guaranteed for injury until the first day of the league year when they become fully guaranteed.  So if picked up it could be rescinded unless Lawson has an injury that will linger into next season.  Picking it up would set the expectations for guarantees and the basic average salary in his next contract however. That’s the issue.  If he’s not worth $11M guaranteed with close to that on average then they shouldn’t pick it up.  This year will go a long way to determining whether or not he’s worth that. 

 

I guess I’d pick it up and try to work out a LTD if he plays well enough to earn a big contract. And I’d rescind it and let him walk if he didn’t.  

 

 

If he plays well enough to be worth $11M per year...... and you have $60M-$80M in cap room........then you just franchise him if you don't work out a deal and see if he can stay healthy and do it again.    Hopefully Beane knows he doesn't need to risk Eric-Wood'ing-himself out of $11M again just to retain the negotiation rights of a to-date middling DE.

 

That figure is just too high to promise to him.   As you said picking it up creates unrealistic expectations from he and his agent.    He's closer to a legit journeyman like Courtney Upshaw right now than he is an 8 figure DE.

Edited April 16, 2019 by BADOLBILZ

[Buffalo86]

8 hours ago, freester said:

I hope so.  I thought it was  a mistake when we didn't pick up Sammy Watkins option year and I think this would be a similar mistake.  I have a hunch that Shaq could get traded either at the draft or shortly after. Not picking up his option will further reduce his trade value I really like him and think he's about to blossom into a really good player.

 

If the mistake of not picking up Sammy's 5th year option is the measuring stick, then I hope McBeane didn't learn from that mistake.

7 hours ago, JoshAllenHasBigHands said:

 

The guy was universally considered a first round talent, and was even considered to have fallen in the draft.  Lets not act like it was an absurd pick at the time. 

 

And how in the world is he a bust?  Bust means washed out of the NFL or doesn't get a second contract.  Shaq may not be a star, but he certainly isn't a bust. 

 

I believe the teams who passed on Shaq thought he would need surgery, and Whaley was confident he wouldn't.  As was typical during the Levy/Brandon/Nix/Whaley regime, the Bills were not proven to be the smartest guys in the room on that day.

[Rock'em Sock'em]

8 hours ago, JoshAllenHasBigHands said:

 

I hate the hyper focus on sack numbers.  Last year, if Shaq had 6 more sacks, he would be at 10 total sacks.  Everyone would agree that if he had 10 sacks he would be worth the money.  But really, is less than .5 sacks per game really that big a deal? Does that really make a game changer? I don't think so.  

 

It's not an exact science, but 10+ sacks indicates a propensity of getting pressure, whereas 4 sacks is basically table stakes for a rotational lineman.  But there is obviously more to playing on the defensive line than getting pressure on passing downs, and that's why PFF graded Lawson 76.5 in 2018 - above average and the #20 edge player.  I think he's worth a $10M for a 5th year option.  Who is available next year that won't cost us a draft pick and that will be better for less?

[YoloinOhio]

 

 

 

[BADOLBILZ]

3 hours ago, Rock'em Sock'em said:

 

It's not an exact science, but 10+ sacks indicates a propensity of getting pressure, whereas 4 sacks is basically table stakes for a rotational lineman.  But there is obviously more to playing on the defensive line than getting pressure on passing downs, and that's why PFF graded Lawson 76.5 in 2018 - above average and the #20 edge player.  I think he's worth a $10M for a 5th year option.  Who is available next year that won't cost us a draft pick and that will be better for less?

 

Decent argument.........but the other side is that he's a guy who has missed 14 games in 3 seasons(including THE playoff game) and has had some motivational issues.   He appeared to get out the doghouse last season and played better but they aren't sniffing around Ziggy Ansah because they think Shaq is the 20th best edge defender in the NFL.     If they did then that $10M would be a very easy pickup.   I think it's clear that they want more pass rush from the position.     And maybe Shaq raises his game but you are talking about a guy who hasn't done it in the pass rush and has missed multiple games to injury each season.    Why not dangle the UFA carrot........not risk the $11M and then if he goes banana's you can franchise him for $18M?    It doesn't cripple them and it prevents an Eric Wood situation and provides maximum motivation.    

[Paulus]

 

 

Lol, no.