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Bills boost secondary by adding Commanders safety in free agency

The Buffalo Bills are making another addition to the secondary in free agency.

Jeremy Brener

Aug 17, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (13) and safety Darrick Forrest (22) warm up before the game against the against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium.
Aug 17, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. (13) and safety Darrick Forrest (22) warm up before the game against the against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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The Buffalo Bills are making another addition to the defense on the first official day of free agency.

NFL Network insider Cameron Wolfe is reporting that the Bills will bring Commanders defensive back Darrick Forrest Jr. aboard on a one-year deal.

Forrest, 25, was a fifth-round pick out of Cincinnati selected by Washington then-head coach Ron Rivera, who valued the defensive back.

Forrest grew into a decent amount of playing time in Washington's secondary with Rivera's stamp of approval, and he started all five games of his 2023 season before a shoulder injury sent him to the sidelines for the remainder of the year.

Rivera was fired by the Commanders after the season when the team plummeted to the bottom of the standings with a 4-13 record. Dan Quinn came in and didn't utilize Forrest in the same ways. Instead of seeing playing time on defense, Forrest primarily played on special teams after the Commanders opted to play others like free agent signee Jeremy Chinn and Noah Igbinoghene.

That explains why Forrest left Washington and is hoping to catch on with more playing time in Buffalo. Forrest joins Damar Hamlin, Cole Bishop and Taylor Rapp as the team's safeties currently on the roster. The Bills could certainly use help at the position, and in the worst case scenario, he could emerge as a strong special teams player for the team.

Darrick Forrest
Nov 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders safety Darrick Forrest (22) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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