Fan-favorite safety starts Bills' training camp with first-team defense

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was practicing with the first-team on the first day of Buffalo's 2024 training camp.

Jul 26, 2023; Rochester, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) signs autographs for fans during training camp at St. John Fisher College. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills retooled their safety group in the 2024 offseason, parting ways with stalwart starters Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer and supplementing their departures with free agent signing Mike Edwards and second-round draft pick Cole Bishop.

And while one of those players may cement a starting spot on the depth chart by the time the team’s 2024 training camp concludes, Buffalo is first giving the opportunity to a fan-favorite who is entering his fourth year with the club.

This safety pairing has continued with the 1’s #Bills #BillsMafia #GoBills https://t.co/obQwe3MI8E

— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) July 24, 2024

Damar Hamlin lined up alongside Taylor Rapp with the first-team defense on the first day of training camp, reportedly making several impact plays. Hamlin has considerable first-team experience in Buffalo’s defense, starting 13 games for the team in 2022 in place of the injured Hyde; his season concluded prematurely that year when he suffered a cardiac arrest during the Bills’ Week 17 clash with the Cincinnati Bengals. He miraculously made a full recovery, playing on 156 total snaps (defense and special teams) throughout the 2023 campaign.

Damar Hamlin jumping an Allen throw for a PBU in the low red zone#Bills #BillsMafia #GoBills

— Anthony Cover 1 (@Pro__Ant) July 24, 2024

Related: Overlooked Bills CB to receive first-team reps at training camp

It’s difficult at this juncture to determine whether Hamlin’s spot on the depth chart is more so an indication of his standing or a product of circumstance; Edwards, who inked a one-year deal with the Bills after winning a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs last season, missed the vast majority of spring workouts with an injury, while Bishop is a rookie new to the team’s defensive scheme. Hamlin’s place within the first-team defense could simply boil down to the fact that he has the most experience and the best understanding of Buffalo’s defensive intricacies.

That said, head coach Sean McDermott was very complimentary of Hamlin throughout the team’s offseason workouts, stating that he played at a consistently “high level” at OTAs and minicamp. It’s also important to remember that Hamlin, just a few years ago, looked like a potential long-term option for the team at safety, notching 91 total tackles and two pass deflections throughout the 2023 campaign. The idea of him re-finding his form and looking like a legitimate starting option is not too far-fetched.

We’ll see if Hamlin is able to hold onto the team’s starting role as training camp progresses, but if his early play is any indication, he’s not going to simply hand the role over to one of Buffalo’s more marquee options.

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