Bills safety named realistic NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate

In an ever-changing landscape like the NFL, continuity and sustained excellence at a particular position is becoming an increasingly rare commodity. The Buffalo Bills have weathered reality for more than half a decade, relying on Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer to man their safety spots for seven straight seasons; the two, while both missing time along the way due to injuries, more than answered the call, combining for 202 starts, three All-Pro selections, and two Pro Bowls throughout their time out west from New York.

Reality – and Mother Nature – caught up with the Bills during the 2024 NFL offseason, however, as the team allowed both safeties to leave (cutting Poyer while letting Hyde’s contract expire). The motivation for this move was obvious: Hyde and Poyer are now 33 years old, and given Buffalo’s current salary cap situation, allocating significant amounts of money to two aging defensive backs simply wasn’t a beneficial proposition; That said, it’s still going to be strange to see the other players line up for the team at safety.

The Bills filled out their defensive backfield with free agent signee Mike Edwards, adding ability and experience to Buffalo’s suddenly young safety room. Among the team’s young options is Cole Bishop, a second-round pick who has an opportunity to earn a starting role in his rookie season.

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Bishop seems like a tailor-made fit for the Bills defense that likes to use its safeties interchangeably; The 21-year-old was deployed in multiple spots and asked to do a myriad of things during his three years at Utah, and he largely shined, totaling 197 tackles, 12 pass deflections, 7.5 sacks and three interceptions throughout his college career. Given his talent, potential draft fit, and head coach Sean McDermott’s demonstrated ability to “coach” defensive backs, it’s hard not to be excited about Bishop as he begins his first campaign.

CBS Sports writer Chris Trapasso agrees; In a recent article ranking 10 realistic NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates, the analyst placed Bishop at No. 9, praising his talent and situation.

“Bishop is a rare second-rounder to make this list, mainly because I think if Sean McDermott had the chance to create a safety in Madden, he would probably decline and just add Bishop to the list instead,” Trapasso wrote . “. . . McDermott has been an integral part of former seventh-round pick and low-level free agent safety Jordan Poyer’s vast development, and while those are big shoes for Bishop to fill, he’s bigger and faster than Poyer. Expect Bishop to shoulder a heavy workload early on playing alongside slot player/linebacker Taron Johnson.

“Two reasons Bishop isn’t higher in this ranking: He tends to miss a few more tackles than expected and wasn’t a dangerous player in college.”

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Another potential obstacle in Bishop’s path to NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors is his position: A safety hasn’t been named AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year since 1990 (Mark Carrier ).

That said, if any safety was in a position to win the award, it’s Bishop. Buffalo’s defense asks a lot of its safeties, but it also frequently puts them in position to make plays – pull off a few timely interceptions and/or blitz sacks, and Bishop could earn some national recognition. McDermott is also one of the best defensive backs coaches in the league, with Hyde and Poyer each building All-Pro seasons under him; Bishop really couldn’t ask to play under a better coach.

Bishop is certainly a long way from winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in the 2024 season, but that’s not a glaring suggestion. He will first need to secure a starting job throughout training camp and the preseason.