Damar Hamlin Enters Bills Camp on Uncertain Ground
PITTSBURGH -- Former Pitt Panthers safety Damar Hamlin was welcomed to training camp in Buffalo - his first since going into cardiac arrest mid-game in January - to a chorus of applause and encouragement from the Bills fans in attendance. In one sense, it is the conclusion of a remarkable story
But the Pittsburgh native and Panthers star's time with the Bills is on tenuous ground as they open training camp. As The Athletic's Tim Graham wrote this week, Buffalo tends to keep just four safeties on its roster and dress even fewer on gamedays. Considering the competition around him, Graham believes Hamlin could be left on the outside looking in if he doesn't have a strong summer camp.
"Hamlin most likely will battle for the last safety spot with eighth-year veteran Dean Marlowe, who started alongside Poyer in the regular-season finale and both playoff games," Graham wrote. "Jared Mayden, signed off the New York Jets’ practice squad in January but never activated, is back. The Bills also added Kansas City Chiefs free agent Zayne Anderson.
The Bills announced that Hamlin would be a full participant in practice as training camp opens and that they'd "go at his cadence" to avoid over-extending him. Hamlin made it all the way through OTAs as a full participant after recovering from his injury.
Buffalo cutting Hamlin would be a bitter ending to one of the most uplifting sports stories in recent memory, but there is every reason to believe he could catch on with another NFL club. Hamlin played well for the Bills last season as they dealt with a litany of injuries on the back end of their secondary.
He appeared in 15 games and made 13 starts, recording 91 tackles - six for loss - defending two passes and forcing a fumble, indicating that he is certainly capable of being, at the very least, a contributor in the NFL.
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