Veteran Shaq Thompson has opened up about why he joined the Buffalo Bills for the upcoming season.
The Buffalo Bills have carefully built out their roster for the upcoming NFL season, bringing in a strong mix of veteran guys while mixing in younger talent to help them be a contender.
So when veteran Shaq Thompson re-signed with the team this week, it was met with all sorts of optimism. Thompson was with the Bills last season, but he spent most of the offseason as a free agent.
However, Buffalo brought him back, signing him to the practice squad. The former first-round pick of the Carolina Panthers couldn't be happier with this decision, opening up about his desire to remain with the Bills.
"I wanted to be a Bill," Thompson said. "I wanted to play football. I wanted to be around these guys. They brought football back for me, just the enjoyment of it."
Heading into his 12th NFL season, Thompson just wants to be part of a special group, and he feels that Buffalo has that. Thompson understands that he will have to earn his keep with this team, but he's ready for the challenge.
Last season, Thompson played in 12 games for Buffalo, recording 56 total tackles and one sack. He had two pass deflections and one forced fumble as well, starting six games.
Now, it's all about allowing his body to get back to a place of comfort. With Thompson being older, he will have to manage his time on the field, but he's ready for whatever Buffalo needs him to do.
"It was just letting my body heal; letting it relax," Thompson said. "We stayed in contact, and it was the perfect time to come back. My body feels great. Hamstring feels great, Achilles feels great, neck feels good."
The veteran brings leadership to the roster, helping to provide this Bills team with a needed voice in the locker room. But the organization didn't bring him back just for this, and they believe he can still make an impact on defense.
Under new head coach Joe Brady, the Bills are trying to be much more physical on defense. Thompson should add to that, bringing his philosophy into the fold.
“We want to be able to be physical," he said. "We want to make plays on the ball. There's a lot of different things with it, but there's a versatility that I think should continue to make it challenging on offenses."
Thompson is a nice presence within the locker room, but his ability on the field is still there. The veteran should provide this Bills team with a lot for the upcoming season, and he's ready to go after a Super Bowl title.
