Bills releasing LB Manny Lawson

The veteran LB was expected to be a starter until first-round pick Shaq Lawson was ready to return.

In a surprise move, the Buffalo Bills have released veteran linebacker Manny Lawson.

Lawson, 32, was about to enter his fourth season with the Bills. In his previous three, he played in 47 of a possible 48 games and started 29, including 14 last season. He was never incredibly productive but seemed to fit in well with the Rex Ryan defense, first under Mike Pettine in 2013 and then under Ryan himself last season.

Lawson is under investigation by the NFL for a possible one-game suspension, one that may or may not involve a 2014 incident of domestic violence. It’s possible the uncertainty had…