The Buffalo Bills have overhauled their safety room over the last two years, saying goodbye to a pair of longtime veterans and using some big draft capital on a long-term replacement.
The Bills could now cut one of their remaining ties to the past, with an analyst predicting that Damar Hamlin will find himself on the wrong side of the roster bubble this summer. Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle published an early prediction of the team’s final roster, suggesting they will keep four safeties this year — and Hamlin won’t be one of them.
Big Year for Cole Bishop, Curtains for Damar Hamlin
For years, dating back to the start of head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane’s tenure with the team in 2017, the Bills have not had any competition at safety. The All-Pro duo of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer locked down the secondary, helping turn the team into Super Bowl contenders.
With both players now gone, the Bills have more question marks at the position. Maiorana predicted that Taylor Rapp would return to a starting role, while second-year safety Cole Bishop would join him.
Maiorana predicted that the Bills would keep just two more — free agency addition Darrick Forrest and versatile defensive back Cam Lewis.
“This is a very big year for Bishop as he has to establish himself as a reliable starter after being a second-round pick in 2024,” Maiorana wrote. “Rapp is solid at the other spot but he is injury prone, so signing Forrest was a good move. He’s an interesting addition who has started games for the Commanders, and Lewis is just a nice player to have because he can play safety, nickel corner, and be a core special teamer.”
If the Bills choose to go this route, it could mean the end for Hamlin, who returned to the team on a one-year contract.
“This leaves Damar Hamlin off the roster because he doesn’t have the same versatility as Lewis,” Maiorana wrote.
Damar Hamlin Could Gain Edge
Hamlin has been a popular player both in Buffalo and nationwide, gaining attention after suffering cardiac arrest on the field from a hard hit to the chest against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023.
While Hamlin struggled in coverage at times, he was also one of the team’s most steady tacklers and strong in run support. He made a total of 89 tackles in 14 starts last season, adding the first two interceptions of his career.
Hamlin does not have the versatility of Lewis, who has played both at safety and cornerback as needed, but could offer value elsewhere. He has been a regular contributor on special teams in the past, though that role declined last season as he started 14 games at safety.
Hamlin could also have better days ahead in his career, revealing after his signing in March that he was still feeling the lingering effects of his cardiac arrest into the start of last season.
“Last year I felt like I was getting the training wheels off,” Hamlin said, via CBS Sports. “Coming back from literally dying on the field to playing a game in a significant role, a starting role, playing a full season again for the first time. I feel like I had a lot of success on the field.”
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