The Buffalo Bills need some help in the secondary, and some analysts believe they will turn to a familiar face to provide it.
The team’s secondary already took a major hit with first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston suffered a knee injury in July that has kept him off the field ever since. The situation grew more dire when Tre’Davious White, the veteran cornerback penciled in as starter while Hairston is out, suffered his own injury.
The Bills have some internal candidates to fill the starting spot opposite Christian Benford, but could also look to bring back former starting cornerback Rasul Douglas, who remains a free agent and is looking for a new team.
Bills May Need More Help
While the severity of White’s injury is not yet known, reporter Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle suggested the Bills may need to hit the free agency market to bring in some help.
“We likely wonât know much about Whiteâs situation until at least Saturday when the Bills play their preseason finale in Tampa Bay. He was not going to play in the game, but thatâs the next time Sean McDermott will be speaking to reporters,” Maiorana wrote.
“If this turns out to be a serious injury, the Bills may have to consider trading for a veteran cornerback, or perhaps claim someone after roster cuts are made on Tuesday.”
Douglas could be the best choice in that scenario, some analysts have suggested. He had been a fixture of the secondary since joining the Bills ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, starting 15 games last season. While Douglas had some struggles in coverage at times, he was a trusted veteran and has been waiting for a new opportunity.
Douglas already turned down an offer to join one of Buffalo’s top rivals. Reporter Josina Anderson noted that the veteran cornerback turned down two contract offers from the Miami Dolphins, including one in late July.
âIâm also told free agent cornerback Rasul Douglas didnât move on an offer from the Miami Dolphins Thursday. Douglas continues to field interest from multiple teams, per league source,â Anderson wrote on X.
Bills Waiting on Rookie Cornerback’s Return
The Bills still face uncertainty over when Hairston could return, but McDermott did not give much hope for optimism this week. The Bills head coach said the team’s first-round pick is still âa ways awayâ from getting back onto the field.
âI get the vibe that we are moving in the right direction, thereâs just not a lot of clarity on the back half of it,â McDermott said.
When Hairston does return, it could take him longer to get back up to speed. The rookie missed will have missed all three of the team’s preseason games and valuable practice time, which could push back his ability to start until even deeper into the season.
The Bills seem comfortable moving forward with White as starter if he is able to return from his injury in time, but the exact date he could be back on the field remains uncertain as well.
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