Bad News Bills – Top Draft Pick to Have Surgery

First round draft pick Shaq Lawson and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell [Getty Images][/caption]Many observers around the league rated the Buffalo Bills 2016 college draft among the best in the NFL. Many gave the Bills a grade of A.  But with news that first-round draft pick Shaq Lawson will require shoulder surgery you have to bump that grade down to a B, at best.

The Bills knew that Lawson was damaged goods. So did every other team in the league.  That's why he was available when the Bills took him with the 19th overall pick. At the time the Bills acknowledged that at some point Lawson would need surgery, but they hoped he could make it through the season and then have surgery at the end of the season.

Although the Bills won't give his return a timetable, some sources say Lawson will be out four to six months. Four months would place his earliest return as the middle of September. Six months is the middle of November. That doesn't allow him to give much help to a defense sorely lacking in pass rush talent.

In a statement released on Monday afternoon it was stated:

The Buffalo Bills are taking measures to prevent the possibility of Shaq Lawson aggravating a pre-existing 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 (Tuesday) on his shoulder with a rehabilitation program to follow. A timetable for his return is still being established.”

Lawson apparently aggravated the injury during non-contact drills.