Bills’ first-rounder Shaq Lawson undergoes shoulder surgery
The Buffalo Bills went defense with their first three picks in the draft and proclaimed they had three Day 1 starters to upgrade Rex Ryan’s unit.
They might be calling for a recount now.
That’s in some doubt now with the announcement Monday that first-round pick Shaq Lawson, a pass rusher from Clemson, opted to undergo shoulder surgery now. The injury has been known for some time, but the Bills stated after they picked Lawson that he should be good to go — their medical staff had cleared him, they said — and that shoulder surgery after the 2016 season was the more likely scenario.
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All that has changed, clearly. We don’t know why they opted to have the procedure now, but it perhaps could be more beneficial in the long term, and both Lawson and the team are said to be hopeful that he can return before the start of the 2016 season.
Here’s the Bills’ statement on Lawson’s surgery:
“The Buffalo Bills are taking measures to prevent the possibility of Shaq Lawson aggravating a preexisting shoulder condition during the season. While he could continue to play, the Bills medical staff has determined that surgery is the best course of action for the overall health of his shoulder moving forward. He had an occurrence of the condition last week, but that would not preclude him from participating in the offseason program. Shaq is scheduled for surgery tomorrow on his shoulder with a rehabilitation program to follow. A timetable for his return is still being established.”
Added GM Doug Whaley:
“I want to take this opportunity to commend Shaq Lawson and his representatives for putting the team first by having this surgery on his shoulder done now. By doing so, he’s forsaking personal goals to be 100 percent healthy when we will need him most during the regular season. Fans constantly hear us say that we want players with tremendous character who keep team goals ahead of personal ones and Shaq is a great example of this.”
Of course, this essentially is a way of spinning what Whaley said the day they picked Lawson and make it appear to be a development. Either they received new information on the shoulder since the draft, or they lied to the media. Either way, we must read what the team and Whaley said above as spin control.
Right now, the duration Lawson is expected to be out can be put in the 4-6 month range, which at best would be the middle of September and wipe out any chances of him starting Week 1. Throw in the fact that Lawson was a defensive end at Clemson and that he’s switching to outside linebacker with the Bills, and you can be sure that his transition to the NFL will not be simple on either level.
Is this not a win-now season? Whaley certainly can’t feel all that comfortable about his position long term, and though Ryan likely would be safe — short of a disaster — his first season was a disappointment certainly. The Pagulas certainly don’t appear to be terribly patient, given that they cleaned house in short order after early failures with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.
Ryan clearly had an affection for Lawson, who played college ball with Ryan’s son and who filled a need. Was this Ryan’s pick and — assuming they’re not being on the level about the shoulder — a health-be-damned one? We shall see. But right now, the Bills’ defense appears to be down a man the team said it would be counting on heavily.
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm
