Buffalo Bills

Bills place WR Matthews, DE Lawson on injured reserve

Published Dec. 5, 2017 6:55 p.m. ET

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) The Buffalo Bills have placed wide receiver Jordan Matthews and defensive end Shaq Lawson on injured reserve, ending their seasons.

Both starters had difficult seasons for Buffalo, dealing with injuries and inconsistent play.

Matthews was acquired in a preseason trade with Philadelphia and was expected to become one of Buffalo's top options in the passing game following the trade of Sammy Watkins.

However, Matthews struggled with injuries throughout his time in Buffalo. Shortly after his arrival, Matthews fractured his sternum. He broke his thumb in a Week 4 win over the Atlanta Falcons and has spent much of the past month dealing with a knee injury, which ended his season.

Matthews finished the season with 25 receptions for 282 yards and one touchdown. He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this spring.

Lawson, Buffalo's first-round pick from 2016, took on a starting role but struggled with inconsistent play. He finished with 33 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble. Lawson injured an ankle in Sunday's loss to the New England Patriots; he also dealt with a groin injury earlier this season.

The Bills promoted receiver Brandon Reilly and defensive end Cap Capi to fill their open roster spots. Reilly was a preseason fan favorite after impressing among Buffalo's reserves and has spent the first 13 weeks of the season on Buffalo's practice squad. Capi joined Buffalo's practice squad on Nov. 21.

The Bills also added safety Dean Marlowe and punter Cory Carter to their practice squad.

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