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Bills DC on rookie DB’s return from injury: He ‘knows he’s behind the eight-ball’

Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich spoke about rookie safety Cole Bishop's return from injury on Wednesday.

Kyle Silagyi

Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Reality struck the Buffalo Bills secondary with particular fervor this offseason, as the team was forced to move on from both Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer amid a salary cap reshuffle. The two veterans had started a combined 202 games for the team at safety since the 2017 NFL season, but with both now 33 years of age and each with their own respective injury histories, Buffalo felt it best to get younger at the position this past spring.

The team grabbed a potential long-term option at safety in the 2024 NFL Draft, selecting Utah defender Cole Bishop in the second round. The 21-year-old seems a tailormade fit for head coach Sean McDermott’s defense, as the defender, who tallied 198 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, and 12 pass deflections throughout his collegiate career, is a playmaker who is capable of excelling both in coverage and when deployed near the line of scrimmage.

He entered his debut training camp in line to compete for a starting job alongside Taylor Rapp, even making some initial headway in the competition that also featured Damar Hamlin and Mike Edwards. The rookie suffered a shoulder injury in late July, however, sidelining him for the last several weeks of practice. Edwards has also been dealing with a hamstring injury, with Hamlin picking up his own hamstring ailment last week; there are health concerns across the entire roster, but there’s particular concern in the safety room at this particular moment.

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The team shared a bit of good news earlier this week when head coach Sean McDermott revealed that both Bishop and Edwards would return to walkthroughs this week. The rookie took part in individual drills on Tuesday, indicating that he is progressing in his recovery. Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich spoke about Bishop during his Wednesday media availability, detailing how he’s stayed up to speed while sidelined with his injury.

“We’ve been able to do a couple of things here and there,” Babich said. “[Safeties coach] Joe Danna does a great job, he does a great job. We’ve used some different resources and things of that nature, different ways we can test him mentally. When the bullets are flying on gameday or even in practice, for that matter, it’s different. It’s a day-by-day process, and he’s got to continue to grow. 

“Part, again, going back to being part of a pro, is finding ways you can grow when you’re in those situations. That can’t always be the coach forcing you to do things. Cole’s a fairly mature football player that knows he’s behind the eight-ball. It’s not like he’s like, ‘Oh, I’ll go in there and be fine,’ he knows he’s got to be up to snuff with the rest of the guys. There’s a lot of things going on with him as far as us keeping that mental side sharp.”

There’s never a good or preferable time for injuries, but the timing of Bishop’s ailment was particularly disadvantageous; it not only took him out of a competition for a starting job, but it prevented him from taking much-needed reps during his debut training camp, a period of time paramount in a rookie’s transition to the NFL. He's stayed engaged throughout his rehab, and the coaching staff is confident he’ll be able to quickly get up to speed when fully available.

He may not start for the team in Week 1, but Buffalo still views him as a long-term option at the position; he could perhaps take over a starting role midway through his rookie campaign assuming he continues to impress at practice.

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Kyle Silagyi

KYLE SILAGYI

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