Bills rookie safety to miss extended period with shoulder injury

The injury bug has attacked the Buffalo Bills’ safety room with particular ferocity, as rookie defensive back Cole Bishop is now considered week-to-week with a shoulder injury.

Bishop was initially affected by the illness during Tuesday’s practice and was seen wearing a bandage on his arm after the session. The team revealed his condition to reporters Thursday morning.

Viewed as a perfect fit for Buffalo’s defense throughout the pre-draft process, the team selected Bishop in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He entered the Bills’ 2024 training camp in a three-way battle for the starting safety job alongside Taylor Rapp, competing for the job with fourth-year defensive back Damar Hamlin and offseason rookie Mike Edwards. The new acquisition is also considered week-to-week with an injury (he injured his hamstring last week); the absence of Edwards and Bishop opens the door for Hamlin to secure the starting job.

The team looked to fill the gaps left by Edwards and Bishop outside the organization, signing 14-year veteran Kareem Jackson on Tuesday before signing Terrell Burgess on Wednesday. While Bishop’s injury could keep him from starting in Week 1, he wasn’t necessarily expected to earn that job; he’ll still have the opportunity to step into a bigger role as his rookie season progresses.

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