Former first-round draft pick attempting NFL comeback with Bills

The Buffalo Bills have signed edge rusher Shane Ray to a one-year contract, with the 6-foot-3 pass rusher attempting a return to the NFL for the first time in more than four years.

Ray, the 2014 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, was the 23rd overall pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2015 NFL Draft. The 29-year-old last played in a regular-season game with the Broncos on Dec. 9, 2018, against the San Francisco 49ers.

• Shane Ray stats (NFL): 33 QB hits, 15 TFLs, 14 sacks in 49 games

Ray originally signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2019, but he was released in August and no team added him to its 53-man roster. Two years later, he signed with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and went on to win a Grey Cup championship in 2022. Now, five years since he last played in a regular-season NFL game, Ray is taking a step towards a comeback.

The Bills announced on Sunday that they signed Ray, along with two other players, following a tryout at rookie minicamp.

Ray, who turns 30 later this month, confirmed the news on Instagram with a picture of him signing his contract and detailing his journey to making an NFL return.

“Words can’t describe the emotions I’m feeling right now. So many tears, sleepless nights, depression, everything that comes with losing the game. So many days of having nothing but hope while fighting a uphill battle. There were times that I thought maybe I should give up, but I wouldn’t be me if I folded…It’s official im a @buffalobills!!!I’m so grateful and excited for this opportunity this moment I’ve dreamt about for 4 years. I’m back!!!!!!!”

Shane Ray on signing with Buffalo Bills

Ray was initially a productive member of the Broncos’ defense early in his NFL career. In 2016, he recorded 21 quarterback hits and eight sacks in 16 games, also returning a fumble for a touchdown. In his final two seasons, he combined for just five quarterback hits and two sacks in 19 contests.

Injuries often sidelined or limited Ray in his final years with the Broncos. He suffered a torn ligament in his wrist in 2017 and it caused recurring issues that year, landing him on injured reserve twice. A year later, Ray underwent wrist surgery for the fourth time in his career.

This past season in Toronto, Ray recorded six sacks in 13 games. Used primarily as a pass-rushing specialist, he recorded multiple games with two sacks. While Ray faces an uphill battle to make the Bills’ roster, there could be an opportunity for him with Von Miller potentially sidelined to open the 2023 NFL season.