The Buffalo Bills cornerback position has always been an interesting area to examine on the rosters since head coach Sean McDermott arrived on the scene.
Tre’Davious White has been a near constant on the field, outside of injuries that have sidelined him. The player opposite White has changed quite a bit.
There were some veteran experiments (Josh Norman, Vontae Davis, EJ Gaines, Phillip Gaines) and developing players (Levi Wallace, Cam Lewis, Dane Jackson) working their way onto the field. Ultimately, Wallace had the most consistent and most positive impact on the field.
Now, Wallace is a Pittsburgh Steeler, leaving via free agency this March.
An additional wrinkle with this position is White’s health. The All-Pro is returning from an ACL tear, and his status is somewhat uncertain entering the season.
As training camp nears, one of the areas to watch is how the staff utilizes their cornerbacks. It may be a battle for players to position themselves in case White misses any time. Or, if somehow Kaiir Elam nears more time to acclimate to the NFL, a reserve will need to step in immediately.
How the roster shakes out behind White and Elam will be the big battle this summer for the cornerbacks.
Jackson epitomized the “next man up” mentality on the roster, starting six games after White’s injury next year. He ended last year with 41 tackles and six passes defensed. Lewis has been a solid depth piece in the secondary.
They will be challenged by sixth-round pick Christian Benford. At the very least, a strong camp will slot Benford ahead of players returning from the practice squad. The Villanova product has good size to challenge for an immediate reserve spot on the roster.
Nick McCloud, Olaijah Griffin, and Tim Harris have spent time on Buffalo’s practice squad last year. A strong camp will at the very least put one of these players in the running for a final roster spot in Buffalo. It could also pique the interest of other teams if they do not find a place with the Bills.
On paper, the group seems fairly straightforward. However, circumstances will make this unit any interesting one to keep an eye on this training camp.
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