Projecting the Defensive Secondary and how it will effect Special Teams

[GASabresIUFan]

The Bills added 3 FAs and 3 draftees to our returning secondary

 

The allocation looks something like this 

CB1 Benford, CB2 White (FA signing), Slot Johnson

Backups - Strong (draftee), Ingram, Jackson (FA signee), Hairston (rookie draftee), Codrington (KR)

 

Safety 1 Rapp, Safety 2 Bishop

Backups - Forrest (FA signee), Hamlin, Cam Lewis and Hancock (Rookie Draftee)

 

Camp Battles 

CB2 - White vs Hairston

Backups  - Ingram, Strong, Jackson 

 

Starting safety spots are all in play - Rapp and Hamlin are the returning starters and unless Rapp get hurt he'll keep his job as Beane likes his leadership.  The other starting job is a 3 way battle between Forrest, Hamlin, and Bishop.  The next battle is draftee Hancock vs Lewis for the CB/S depth and special teams role.  

 

If I had to guess Hairston beats White for the CB2 job, but with White taking regular snaps depending on opponent and situation.  I also think we'll only keep two of Ingram, Strong or Jackson.  Right now I project Jackson as the loser in that competition.  I also see Bishop winning the starting safety job, but Forrest giving him a run for his money.  

 

One the reason I started this thread is I think special teams will play a huge factor on who wins some of the depth secondary jobs.  Last season Gilliam, Morris, Ingram and Lewis played the most special teams snap.  Morris is already gone.  The question becomes if the rookies like Hancock and Strong beat out Lewis and Ingram for jobs, then 3/4 of our top special teamers will be gone.  Ingram's special teams skills are the reason he'll ultimately beat out Jackson for the final CB job.  However, I'm taking the opposite position on Hancock vs Lewis.  Assuming Hancock has a camp, I can see him nudging out Lewis.  The Bills don't view Lewis as anything more than a special teamer and injury fill in.  With Hamlin, Rapp and Forrest on one year deals, I think management will want Hancock on the active roster to develop into a potential starter in 2026.  That said, Hancock will have to show up on special teams in pre-season to make Beane comfortable with cutting Lewis.

 

Assuming both Strong and Hancock make the team, Beane and McD will expect them to help on special teams.  Andreessen, the UDFA LB, played the 5th most special teams snaps last season, Solomon was 6th and Bishop 7th.  

 

Edited Sunday at 06:08 PM by GASabresIUFan

[hondo in seattle]

My SWAG...

 

Starter                                 2nd Team

 

Safety

Rapp                               Hamlin

Bishop                            Forrest

 

CB

Benford                         Dane Jackson               

Hairston                        Tre

 

Nickel

Taron                              Hancock 

 

But there's lots of uncertainty with Tre maybe or maybe not making a good recovering, 2nd year guys maybe stepping up in their sophomore years, and 3 rookies who are always question marks.  

 

[khlax3]

I think Cordington is gonna have a hard time making the team. He did some kick off returns last year but Davis and Ty Johnson returned just as many. He is the punt returner right now but doesn’t give you any other special teams or defense. I think being able to keep an extra guy like Lewis, Ingram, or Dane Jackson who give you multi phase special teams availability and solid depth on defense will provide more value to the team. Your WR 5 should be your punt returner. If shenault wins that spot he can punt return, kick ,return, and give you something at WR. Even if he doesn’t win that wr 5 spot keeping him as a 6th WR/KR/PR provides more value that codrington just as PR. 
 

 

[wppete]

I think Darrick Forrest is going to surprise alot of people in our system. Think he starts. He has the smarts, speed, athleticism and aggressiveness to play a key roll for us. 

[Richard Noggin]

1 hour ago, wppete said:

I think Darrick Forrest is going to surprise alot of people in our system. Think he starts. He has the smarts, speed, athleticism and aggressiveness to play a key roll for us. 

 

Just depends on how fluently he picks up the full system. McD's defense has had a habit of valuing reliability and consistency (floor) over potential impact (ceiling) when deciding starters, at least in the first weeks of the season.

[NeverOutNick]

I’m really hoping both Hamlin and Lewis are gone and Hancock thrives as a FS. Rapp is insane with his tackling and getting teammates injured but he’s still valuable. This is my hope 🙏🏻:
 

Starter                             2nd Team

 

Safety

Forrest                        Hancock 

Bishop                         Rapp

 

CB

Benford                        Strong               

Hairston                       Tre

 

Nickel

Taron                            Ingram

[BlueRed]

It seems most people think Hancock/Cam Lewis is a 1v1 position battle due to their proposed similar versatile role but I don’t think it’d be crazy for both of them to make the roster at the expense of Hamlin. 
 

The DB roster battles will be a fun puzzle to solve this summer.