Shaq Lawson comments on again being teammates with Deshaun Watson
In mid-March, the Houston Texans traded for linebacker Shaq Lawson, as Adam Schefter initially reported. The trade reunites Lawson with his former Clemson Tigers teammate, quarterback Deshaun Watson. Lawson spoke a little bit about being teammates with Watson again in a post-practice press conference on Friday.
Houston is Lawson’s third NFL team in as many seasons
After totaling 59 tackles and 12.5 sacks as a junior at Clemson, Lawson was selected 19th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. Lawson saw mixed results in his four seasons in Buffalo, only starting six or more games in two seasons. Last season, Lawson signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Miami Dolphins.
In Miami, Lawson started seven games and suited up in 14. He totaled 32 tackles and four tackles for loss, adding four sacks and 18 quarterback hits. Lawson also defended one pass and forced a fumble which he returned for a touchdown. After one season in Miami, he was traded to Houston.
With the Texans, Lawson will be looking to prove that he was worthy of his first-round draft selection. He now gets to reunite with Watson, who was his teammate at Clemson. Lawson said that he talks to Watson when he is around, but that he doesn’t necessarily see him all that often. Rumors have been circulating around Watson’s future with the team.
“Yeah, I talk to him,” Lawson said of Watson. “We just talk about our times at Clemson, bring about old memories, the time we could have won a national championship.
“I don’t know, I just be worried about where I be at. I see him from time to time, but I can’t really tell you where he be at.”
Lawson has fit in well on Houston’s defense
Houston head coach David Culley says that what he has seen from Lawson thus far is encouraging. Culley was on the Bills’ staff when Lawson was in Buffalo. He thinks Lawson fits well within new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith’s style.
“Well, I was with Shaq in Buffalo, and shoot, Shaq was a pass rusher up there,” Culley said. “When we got him from the Dolphins, he fits kind of what Lovie (Smith) would like to do. Again, the competition in that group that he’s come into right now is basically just making him even better and better and better because we’ve got big numbers right there at that position. And man, he’s just in there doing what he needs to do. And of course, we’re getting to see what he thought he was.
“Well, he’s quick. He has great movement. He’s got a great first step. Lovie (Smith) loves that in those guys at that position. He plays with good leverage, and he’s got good hands, and basically what we teach all those guys to do, he has that.”
Houston is hoping that Lawson can find his game and turn into a defensive building block. Whether Lawson ultimately plays with his former Clemson teammate in Watson is currently unclear. For now, the two are able to share a locker room yet again.
Image courtesy of: Christian Petersen via Getty Images.