The Buffalo Bills made some veteran additions to their secondary this offseason, bringing back former starting cornerback Tre’Davious White and reserve Dane Jackson to help shore up the unit that struggled at times.
Though both have a long track record with the team and the favor of the coaching staff, one may be in danger of missing the final roster amid some struggles through the team’s first two preseason games — including a forgettable performance against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Dane Jackson’s Rough Night
The Bills rested nearly all of their starters in Sunday’s 38-0 loss to the Bears, giving Jackson a chance to play against Chicago’s starting offense.
It did not go well for Jackson, who was picked on by Bears quarterback Caleb Williams as Chicago marched down the field. While others struggled in coverage — including breakout linebacker Joe Andreessen — it was Jackson who gave up some of the biggest plays.
His struggles caught the attention of Bills reporters, with some predicting that he could face a challenge in making the final roster.
“You can’t roster Dane Jackson. At least he wont make the roster,” noted Bills reporter Kevin Massare in a post on X.
Injury Could Pave Way for Dane Jackson to Return
While the veteran Jackson may have struggled through the team’s first two preseason games, he could still have a strong avenue to making the final roster. First-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston went down in training camp with a leg injury and has remained out, leading reporter Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News to suggest that he could miss the start of the season.
“[Bills head coach Sean] McDermott left open the possibility of putting Hairston on injured reserve at the beginning of the season,” Skurski wrote. “Given that he has not practiced in weeks, itâs not the worst idea to bring him along slowly. The team will want to make sure Hairston is healthy for the second half of the year. Itâs unrealistic to think he would be able to contribute much early in the season after missing so much practice time.”
The shorthanded Bills would likely look to the veteran Jackson as a steady backup if Hairston starts the season on injured reserve. White would likely slide into the starting position alongside Christian Benford, with Jackson serving as a reserve.
Skurski also noted that cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram appears to be closer to the cut line than Jackson.
“Ingram was in the game very late against the Giants, which is never a good sign for a player on the roster bubble,” Skurski wrote.
Jackson joined the Bills as a seventh-round pick in 2020, appearing in 52 games with 28 starts in his four seasons in Buffalo. He left to join the Carolina Panthers last year, appearing in nine games with three starts while making 23 total tackles.
The Bills understand the value of a steady backup, with their depth hurting them last season. Former first-round pick Kaiir Elam struggled when he was thrust into duty when Benford was hurt in the AFC Championship game, with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes often targeting him.
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