The Buffalo Bills endured a lopsided 38-0 loss to the Chicago Bears in their second preseason game of the year, a result that might unsettle some fans but serves to remind that exhibition games exist to work out kinks. There have been plenty of questions about both safety positions since Buffalo moved on from Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde.<\/p>\n
With that, all eyes are now on Cole Bishop, a 2024 second-round pick who\u2019s projected to start alongside Taylor Rapp. Despite a rough outing against the Chicago Bears, Bishop continues to flash athleticism that suggests he\u2019ll thrive as a starter with more experience.<\/p>\n
Bishop played just 12 snaps across a couple of series in Chicago, and he was the only projected starter among a reserve-heavy defense. The Bears\u2019 pass-heavy attack overwhelmed Buffalo\u2019s vanilla scheme, and Bishop struggled in coverage \u2014 notably getting beaten in man coverage by slot receiver Olamide Zaccheaus for a touchdown. He recorded one tackle (solo) in limited action. So while Bishop\u2019s play deserves some scrutiny, context and metrics can help point Bills Mafia to a less apocalyptic future.<\/p>\n
Bishop\u2019s athletic profile outpaces Damar Hamlin (who started 14 games in 2024) and, despite the struggles when the Kansas City Chiefs took advantage of his physical limitations in the playoffs, hardly ever looked like a complete liability. At 6\u20192\u201d and 207 pounds, Bishop\u2019s 4.45-second 40-yard dash (89th percentile) and 128.3 burst score (79th percentile) surpass Hamlin\u2019s 4.62 40-yard dash (73rd percentile).<\/p>\n
In 2024, Bishop allowed a 62.4 passer rating when targeted (358 snaps), outperforming Hamlin\u2019s 78.3, implying sharper coverage instincts. His rookie stats \u2014 40 tackles (25 solo), 1 forced fumble, 2 pass deflections, 3 stuffs in 16 games (4 starts) \u2014 speak to his play-making ability.<\/p>\n
In the 2024 AFC Championship against Kansas City, Bishop showed great range with 10 tackles (9 solo) and almost made a game-changing interception of a questionable catch by Xavier Worthy, which resulted in a first down to the Chiefs. If he got there a little bit earlier, or if Worthy didn\u2019t (incredibly) keep one hand on the ball, we\u2019d be here talking about what an awesome play Bishop made. Game of inches.<\/p>\n
Bishop\u2019s inexperience is obvious: He\u2019s a second-year player who\u2019s struggled with nagging injuries that have robbed him of valuable reps in camp. He\u2019s also the main investment by the team at the position. After a slow start and a promising finish last season, Bishop needs an opportunity to show if he can get to the level the Bills expect of him. A bad series when coming back from injury and playing surrounded by several struggling backups shouldn\u2019t carry more value than an entire season of continued development.<\/p>\n
If we analyze the play where he was beaten for a touchdown in Chicago, Zaccheaus is a shifty slot receiver with a knack for exploiting mismatches (45 receptions and 506 yards with Washington last season). But it wasn\u2019t as awful as some overreactions lead one to believe.<\/p>\n
Pre-snap motion isolated Bishop in man coverage, where he shaded outside, expecting inside help by the \u201cRobber\u201d (in this case, middle linebacker Joe Andreessen). The help was nowhere near where it\u2019s supposed to be, and Bishop couldn\u2019t stay close enough to his man.<\/p>\n
Ideally, he\u2019s able to at least make the tackle there, but most safeties would struggle against quick slot receivers like Zaccheaus, making this a tough matchup, not a defining moment, especially for a player who, according to Bishop himself, was playing to get his \u201clegs back underneath\u201d him.<\/p>\n
Bishop\u2019s Utah tape (2 INTs, 3 sacks in 2023) shows versatility across box and free safety roles, and he was able to flash it in limited opportunities last season as well. Head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich have a history of developing defensive backs, which should bode well for the second-year man.<\/p>\n
Partnered with Taylor Rapp, Bishop should help form a decent starting safety tandem within Buffalo\u2019s scheme. Bishop\u2019s development could help elevate the team\u2019s safety play to another level, so he needs to play; otherwise, there\u2019s a big chance the Bills will see another high draft pick fail to receive opportunities at real playing time, learn from mistakes, and become the best version of themselves.<\/p>\n
If Bishop falters he may face scrutiny, especially with later-drafted safeties like Kamren Kinchens (Los Angeles Rams) starting. But Bishop\u2019s athletic edge, playoff impact, and coachable errors suggest he\u2019ll be fine. I believe he\u2019ll continue to round into form, learn from this bad experience (as he did when he struggled against the Houston Texans early last season), sync with Rapp, and be ready for the season.<\/p>\n
The safety position isn\u2019t an such that it\u2019s easy to just sign somebody off the street and have him on point with all the communication checks, of which the position demands awareness. It might be prudent to look for better depth there.<\/p>\n
Hamlin is athletically limited, Cam Lewis is undersized, and Jordan Hancock is a rookie. Darrick Forrest Jr. seems to be a failed experiment, just like Mike Edwards was a year ago. That said, with where things are right now, the best answer to begin the season may be to have Bishop and Rapp starting together. Bishop is also teh Bills\u2019 best hope of finding a true difference maker at the safety spot by playoff time. Give him time.<\/p>\n
Catch up on all this and more with the latest edition of Leading the Charge<\/a><\/p>\n