Hughes has had a pretty good season. It was better than anyone expected now, but it was what was expected of him coming out of college. He was a pass-rushing terror at TCU with decent overall skills, and his strong combine showing helped solidify his 1st round grade.
Many 1st rounders get labeled as busts too early, and a good amount of them end up earning the tag, but Hughes looks like another example of properly developing a player. A lot of fans tend to get caught up in the hype around the draft and expect immediate impact. Modern sports media loves to prop up rookies that explode onto the scene (depending on position and team), contributing to the expectation for immediate success.
People seem to forget that a good amount of players needed to develop, regardless of draft position, before turning into impact players. Some of the best at each position, historically and currently, took a few years before becoming what we know them to be.
Hughes sat behind Freeney and Mathis, learning from two of the best sack masters in the modern era.
Buffalo pulled the trigger swapping Shep for Hughes, which looks like an obvious win for the Bills. Seriously, I'm trying to think of a better trade for Buffalo in recent years.
Now Hughes is playing in a scheme that utilizes his strengths, has a solid down lineman group, and has probably picked up a trick or two from Mario. His production this year hit his contract escalators, and he deserves that increase in pay.
I say they should look to extend Hughes next season. He is still only 25 and could continue to improve.
These are the types of players the team needs to retain, and I think Buffalo might just do that considering they thought enough of his ability to trade for him. With one game to go, Hughes could cap off the season with a statement game against our biggest rival. Either way, I think every Bills fan is happy Hughes is a Bill.
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Originally Posted by OpIv37
