With The First Pick
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Buffalo Bills Coming as 1st-round Pick is Ready Now

By Carl Cockerham

Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Shaq Lawson (Clemson) with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Buffalo Bills as the number nineteen overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Shaq Lawson (Clemson) with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Buffalo Bills as the number nineteen overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at Auditorium Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Buffalo Bills took their chances when drafting OLB Shaq Lawson in the first round last spring. But after his shoulder came up lame this offseason, he is back and the Bills are in a good position.

Edge rusher Shaq Lawson entered the 2016 NFL Draft with a nagging shoulder injury from Clemson. But head coach Rex Ryan and Buffalo Bills, drafted him anyway. Then questions came when he had to have surgery on that shoulder almost immediately.

Did the Bills do their homework on this guy?

Why did the Bills draft damaged good in the first round?

How is the Bills’ defense supposed to get better without their 1st-round pick?

Then things didn’t look good at all when the Bills started 0-2, including a loss to the New York Jets. But Rex Ryan fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman and ran off four straight. He went back to his ball-control, ground-and-pound offense to rest his defense.

And now, that defense is shutting teams down and climbing up the rankings. So I guess you can say the Bills have held the fort down while Lawson was out. Yes, the Bills finally have the 1st-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft healthy and ready to play.

Lawson told Buffalo Bills.com of his return Wednesday, “It’s going to feel better to know that I’m 100 percent. “We took care of the problem with my shoulder and went to see one of the greatest doctors in New York. Being 100 percent, it’s going to be a better Shaq on the field.”

Ryan can afford to work Lawson in because Lorenzo Alexander already has eight sacks this season in his stead. That’s almost half of his career total (17) through 10 NFL seasons. Despite 2nd-round pick (ILB) Reggie Ragland being out for the season, the run defense is improving.

Marcell Darius will improve it even more as he returns from a 4-game drug suspension. Like New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, Ryan has had to overcome a lot to this point. But he has weathered the big storm and the 4-2 Bills are coming!

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