Star Lotulelei has proved to be worth the wait after opting out of 2020.
The Buffalo Bills went 20 games without him, counting last season's three playoff contests and this year's season opener.
But in the three games the 31-year-old veteran defensive tackle has played since, the Bills are 3-0 with two shutouts and remarkably efficient production that defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier reminded everyone about Monday.
"I showed the guys a clip today of Star from the game," Frazier said. "He was in a 1-on-1 situation with the opposing team's guard. He just destroyed the guy and then he stood up and had a few words for him as well.
"Just that whole attitude shift that he brings along with his play. He's just a physical presence, big, powerful man who is a very intelligent football player as well."
Lotulelei has produced seven tackles and 2.0 sacks while playing just 84 snaps.
The Bills maintained throughout the offseason that his return would help third-year defensive tackle Ed Oliver and everyone else who rotates in on the defensive line, which was inconsistent in 2020. They were right.
Oliver's numbers (33 tackles, 3.0 sacks, six QB hits) slipped last year from his rookie season in 2019 (43, 5.0, eight).
And although that statistical decline has continued into this season, Oliver's impact has been everything they envisioned and then some because of the double teams he continues to draw, creating more 1-on-1's for Lotulelei and everyone else.
The result: Buffalo will head to Kansas City next week with a defense that leads the NFL in almost every statistical category — just in time to be tested every which way by a Chiefs squad that seems to have their number.
Twice last season the Bills fell to the Chiefs, including a 36-24 loss in the AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs also were the only team to hand the Bills a home loss in the regular season.
Having Lotulelei could make a difference.
"He's helped us tremendously up front and ... just bringing a presence about him that we were missing," Frazier said. "I'll be frank with you: we missed that. It's great to have him back."
A quarter of the way through the season, Lotulelei is on pace to finish with eight sacks, which would double his career high earned in 2016 with the Carolina Panthers.
But the numbers don't tell the story. The normally understated Lotulelei finds ways to teach his younger teammates too. That's just as important as what he brings to the field.
"He'll say something that might help that player, like if you put your left hand down instead of your right or if you bring your right leg back a little bit and push your left leg this direction," Frazier said, "things like that to give them some tips, some things that might help that player perform a little bit better or make a play.
"Coming from a guy who has achieved some of the things that he's achieved in this league, that goes a long way."
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