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3 rookies who can contribute immediately to Bills' defense

Troy Taormina / USA TODAY Sports

Leading up to the draft, many speculated the Bills were going to be heavily in the market for a quarterback in the first few rounds. However, with the status of their front seven, quarterback was just a luxury the team couldn't afford to address at this time. So addressing the front seven is exactly what Buffalo did.

With their first three selections, the Bills took Shaq Lawson at 19th overall, traded up for Reggie Ragland at 41, and picked Adolphus Washington at No. 80. That's three very different front-seven players. Buffalo went other directions with the remainder of their draft picks, but the point was made in a big way that their front seven needed an upgrade. These three rookies could make instant contributions.

Rex Ryan, and now Rob Ryan, want a versatile attacking defensive front with a "quarterback of the defense" to act as an extension of the coaching staff on the field. Ray Lewis, Bart Scott, and David Harris have filled this role admirably over the years for the Bills' head coach. Now it is Ragland’s turn. Like Harris, Ragland might not be the ideal coverage linebacker in today’s NFL, but his toughness and mind for the game is very strong, which was missing last year. Ragland and the Ryan brothers should get along very well.

Zach Brown was added in early April and should flank Ragland. He brings speed that Ragland can’t match. Preston Brown didn’t have a great season last year, but like Brown, should benefit from improved play in front of him in the trenches and he, too, is a plus athlete.

The overpaid Mario Williams was released before free agency and now plays for divisional rival Miami. Lawson is a different type of player, but is expected to fill Williams’ shoes and upgrade the end position for Buffalo in 2016. Jerry Hughes is an excellent edge player and Lawson should provide an immediate complement. Unlike Williams last year, Lawson’s effort can never be questioned. The players will drop into coverage at times, which Williams publicly complained about. Lawson should be adequate in this capacity, against the run, and as a pass-rusher, although his ceiling isn’t particularly high and there concerns about his shoulder, which could be the reason he was even still available with the 19th selection. With the exception of Atlanta, the Bills’ 21 sacks were the lowest in the NFL last year.

Marcel Dareus remains a rock in the middle of Buffalo’s front. He's powerful, agile, and a major contributor against the run and pass. Dareus is consistent and the Bills’ best defensive player, but he needed more help on the interior last year as only seven NFL defenses allowed a higher yards per carry average than Buffalo.

Kyle Williams has been one of the NFL’s most underrated players for basically his entire career, but had meniscus surgery in November and took a $1.75-million pay cut in March, which happens to soon-to-be 33-year-old players coming off major injuries.

Washington is more of a quickness-based penetrator than Williams or Dareus, but should provide an instant boost as an interior pass-rusher, which as we saw throughout the draft, is a skill at a premium in today’s NFL. He, of course, also provides somewhat of an insurance policy and possible successor for Williams.

With a very good secondary already in place, Buffalo’s first three draft picks might be enough to get Ryan’s defense back in line to what we're used to seeing from this excellent and innovative defensive mind.

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