Less than two years after going into cardiac arrest during a January 2023 game against the Bengals, Damar Hamlin will start at safety for the Bills in Week 1, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. This will be Hamlin’s first start since the on-field emergency.
Sean McDermott made the announcement Wednesday, praising Hamlin’s “consistency and opportunity” throughout training camp. In a contract year, Hamlin played his way off Buffalo’s roster bubble.
Hamlin’s well-publicized 2023 recovery did not lead to a prominent role last season. He spent the campaign buried on the depth chart, as Buffalo carefully managed his recovery and workload following the on-field scare. Hamlin only played in five games with just 17 total snaps on defense but seized his chance to earn a starting job after the Bills parted ways with its long-running Jordan Poyer–Micah Hyde safety duo this offseason.
“It’s one thing to come back off of an ACL or a broken bone. It’s another thing to come back off of what he came back off of,” McDermott said. “Let alone just to decide to play football, contact football in full pads at the NFL level. I don’t think I need to say anything more. It’s incredible.”
Hamlin faced plenty of competition for the chance to start alongside Taylor Rapp, who signed a three-year extension in March. The Bills then added Mike Edwards in free agency before drafting Utah’s Cole Bishop with the 60th overall pick of the 2024 draft. Hamlin (hamstring), Edwards (hamstring), and Bishop (shoulder) all struggled with injuries during training camp, limiting their ability to develop chemistry with the rest of the first-team defense. Bishop managed his first full practice since July 30 on Wednesday.
According to McDermott, Hamlin’s ability to build “a certain level of rapport” with Rapp was a crucial factor in earning the starting job. “That’s important as well at the safety position,” McDermott added. Hamlin may not remain the Bills’ starter once their safety room returns to full strength. Both Edwards and Bishop have returned as full participants in practice this week and could eat into Hamlin’s playing time once they are back up to speed. For now, however, Hamlin (14 starts in 2022, counting the game cancelled after his collapse) will make the leap back to first-string duty.