It's time for the Bills make a change in the defensive backfield

The Buffalo Bills should make a change at safety following their Week 4 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Ronnie Eastham | Oct 1, 2024

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The Buffalo Bills were outcoached, outplayed, and simply embarrassed in their nationally televised 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football. There isn't any other way to say, no amount of sugarcoating will help take the sting out of this one. The Bills played 43 consecutive games without losing by more than one score and were the talk of the league leading up to Sunday night. That streak ended last weekend, the team losing its immensely impressive accomplishment in lifeless fashion.

The defensive injuries the Bills are trying to navigate in the early part of the season were part of the issue, but that wasn't the only problem. Throughout this game, there were moments when Damar Hamlin looked generally overmatched; the Baltimore rushing attack isn't one that's easy to corral, but giving a starting safety a pass because the opponent was difficult is not conducive to long-term success. There were times throughout the contest when he was out of position and unable to make a play, missing two tackles throughout the night, per PFF.

Hamlin had a great summer and played well in practice and during the preseason. He's made some plays here and there, and none more special and heartwarming than his first career interception against the Jacksonville Jaguars. But it's clear he does not belong on the field as a starting safety. Even the Bills may know this; though he was the first player to receive first-team reps in training camp, he was engaged in a position battle with Mike Edwards and rookie Cole Bishop throughout the summer, with injuries suffered by those two being a major reason in Hamlin winning the job.

It's true that he's been around for four years and knows the defense; from a pure tenure perspective, he's the starter who has been at One Bills Drive the longest. Unfortunately, 'familiarity' can only get you so far, especially now five weeks into the regular season.

It's time to see what Bishop can do as a starter. Some may rebut that making significant changes at safety after one loss is too reactionary -- 'if it's not broken, don't fix it.' The problem is, it was broken. The blowout nature of the previous games merely masked it. Bishop will have rookie moments, no question, but there is also no question that he's the most athletically gifted option in the Bills safety room.

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Buffalo obviously views the former Utah Ute as a future starter; it selected him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, after all. He's also made plays in his scant opportunities, namely his impressive pass breakup in the endzone against the Miami Dolphins. It won't be a flawless transition, but the more Bishop plays now, the quicker the learning curve. Let him get serious playing time and go through his lumps as a rookie, and the defense will be better for it in the long run. He may occasionally make the wrong decision or be out of position, yet his athleticism compensates for these errors.

It's time the Bills coaching staff takes a chance on Bishop, expect that mistakes will occur, and realize that the defense will ultimately be better thanks to the decision. The rookie may see an increase in snaps this week, as Taylor Rapp may miss a game or two with a concussion; if he impresses, it should be Hamlin -- not Bishop -- leaving the starting lineup upon Rapp's return.

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