The Bills love versatility in the defensive backfield
There’s an old mantra that says that a team needs only to look at how it lost its final game in order to know how to improve, and for the Buffalo Bills, it seems that they took that mantra to heart. Buffalo has worked tirelessly this offseason to improve its defense at all three levels, but especially along the defensive line and in the defensive secondary.
The Bills have long prioritized the ability to play within their zone-heavy scheme as a top reason for acquiring players, but especially of late, they’ve looked to add more athletic players who can run with elite-level athletes. Even if those players may best be suited for a zone scheme — like the focus of our discussion today — the team’s desire to add elite athletes is still clear.
In today’s installment of “90 players in 90 days,” we discuss one of the team’s 2025 fifth-round draft choices.
Name: Jordan Hancock
Number: 37
Position: DB
Height/Weight: 6’1”, 195 pounds
Age: 21 (22 on 8/12/2025)
Experience/Draft: R; selected by Buffalo in the fifth round (No. 170 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft
College: Ohio State
Acquired: Fifth-round draft choice
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Hancock signed his four-year rookie deal, a pact worth $4,520,216 overall. For the 2025 season, he carries a cap hit of $920,054 if he makes the 53-man roster. If he’s released, Buffalo is responsible for a dead-cap charge of $320,216, which represents the total guaranteed money on the deal.
2024 Recap: Hancock was an important contributor to Ohio State’s National Championship run. He played in all 16 of the Buckeyes’ games, totaling a career-high 48 tackles and nine pass breakups. He added half a sack, an interception, and two forced fumbles. In the College Football Playoffs, he had 16 tackles and two pass breakups in four win-or-go-home games.
Hancock was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention for his efforts. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he did not work out even though he received an invite to the event. At his Pro Day, Hancock’s athleticism was on fully display, as he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds and displayed a 41.5” vertical jump. He also leapt 10’6” in the broad jump.
Positional outlook: Hancock is listed as a defensive back, and he has experience both as a safety and as a cornerback. With Buffalo, he’s likely to play a role similar to that of Cam Lewis as a hybrid slot corner/safety.
The safeties on the current roster include Cole Bishop, Damar Hamlin, Taylor Rapp, and Darrick Forrest. The corners on the roster are Tre’Davious White, Taron Johnson, Christian Benford, Dane Jackson, Maxwell Hairston, Dorian Strong, Brandon Codrington, Daequan Hardy, and Ja’Marcus Ingram. In addition to Lewis and Hancock, Wande Owens, Te’Cory Couch, and Daryl Porter are also listed as defensive backs.
2025 Offseason: Hancock is healthy and participating in off-season work to date.
2025 Season outlook: Hancock is a super athletic, versatile piece who has tremendous potential. Whereas the Bills often cross-train more mid-level athletes as hybrid-style defensive backs, Hancock has much more natural athleticism than someone like Cam Lewis or Ja’Marcus Ingram. If he can show value on special teams while also giving the coaching staff a reason to trust him defensively, he may even be able to usurp Lewis’ role.
However, that is going to be a tough thing to do given that Lewis has been one of the team’s more important special teams players over the last few years. Assuming that Buffalo keeps nine defensive backs on the roster, that gives them a grouping that might look something like this: Benford, Hairston, Johnson, Rapp, Bishop, Forrest, and Hamlin feel safe, which takes up seven spaces. Between Lewis, Hancock, White, Jackson, Ingram, Codrington, and Strong, I expect that the team will take two or three of those players.
The Bills were clearly unhappy with the overall performance of their secondary at the end of last season, and they’ve made a concerted effort this spring and summer to add more athleticism to the back end. Some of those players I’m viewing as safe (Hamlin, in particular) might not be safe, and some of those bubble players (White? Strong? Lewis?) might actually be closer to safe than they are to release. All I know is that the competition for a roster spot in Buffalo’s defensive backfield is going to be fierce this summer.
If I were a gambler, I’d bet that Jordan Hancock finds himself on the 53-man roster this September; however, it wouldn’t surprise me if he comes down with a phantom injury in August to stash him for one more season. Either way, I like his versatility and his athleticism for what the Bills want to do on defense.