Just three years into his NFL career, Jerry Hughes was a bust. The Indianapolis Colts had spent a first-round pick on Hughes in 2010, but they had gotten very little production from him. In three seasons, he only stared seven games and only had five total sacks during those three seasons. That prompted the Colts to get rid of him for virtually nothing, trading Hughes for Kelvin Sheppard, and Hughes started anew with the Buffalo Bills. It was the best thing that could have happened for his career.

Since coming to Buffalo in 2013, Hughes has been a force. In each of the last two seasons, Hughes has recorded 10 sacks, and he has been stellar any time he’s been on the field. He was a perfect bookend for Mario Williams, and he is arguably the second best defender on the Bills team. The trade with the Colts went from being a good potential investment to an absolute train robbery.

The only concern that could be an issue for Hughes this season is that he just signed a new, lucrative contract. The deal is a five-year, $45 million pact with about $22 million guaranteed, so he is making a lot of money. Though the money is well earned, it could impact Hughes’ performance on the field. If he feels as though he no longer needs to try because he has “made it,” then he may look more like the player he was before the trade to Buffalo.

That doesn’t seem like it is going to be the case for Hughes. He apparently still has a high motor, and the team’s head coach Rex Ryan had to pull him out of practice once this offseason because the offense couldn’t function with him on the field. Hughes was simply dominating the offensive line, and he really is the kind of defensive force that you want to have on your team.

Hughes should continue to dominate in the upcoming season. He’s one of the better young pass rushers in the NFL, and he is still underrated because he is overshadowed by Williams. Hughes will start, notch double-digit sacks and continue to thrive across from Williams. He will be a key piece for the team’s top five defense, and he looks a whole lot different than the bust that finished his career with the Colts two years ago.

Jacob Camenker is a Buffalo Bills Beat Writer for www.RantSports.com. You can like him on Facebook here, follow him on Twitter @jacobyhorse, and add him to your network on Google.