Bills S Damar Hamlin impressing at training camp with 'high-level' play

Buffalo Bills safety Taylor Rapp is impressed with what Damar Hamlin has showcased throughout training camp thus far.

Kyle Silagyi | Aug 1, 2024

Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin high-fives fans as he runs onto the field during the opening day of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University. / Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

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There was a significant contingent of the Buffalo faithful that was a bit surprised when the team’s defense took to the field last week for the first practice of the Bills’ 2024 training camp; safety Taylor Rapp expectedly lined up in the defensive backfield with the first-team unit, but there was a perhaps unanticipated player deployed alongside him:

Damar Hamlin.

The fourth-year defender had been largely overlooked in a Buffalo safety room that parted ways with stalwarts Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer in the offseason, with the vast majority of fan attention devoted to free agent signee Mike Edwards and second-round draft pick Cole Bishop. Hamlin’s initial inclusion in the team’s starting lineup indicated that he was not only a part of the Bills’ search for a new starting safety—he was perhaps the early leader in the proverbial clubhouse.

Buffalo's first team cycled through Hamlin, Edwards, and Bishop throughout its initial camp practices, with all three making plays when given their opportunities. Edwards and Bishop have since suffered hamstring and shoulder injuries, respectively, with both set to miss the next several weeks with their ailments; this sets the stage for Hamlin—who was widely viewed as a cut candidate entering camp—to cement himself as the Bills’ undisputed starting safety entering the 2024 campaign.

And though injuries will play a role in whether Hamlin ultimately earns the job, he was potentially on track to earning the role outright thanks to his on-field play. He’s impressed teammate Taylor Rapp with his performances, with the fellow safety praising the 26-year-old after Thursday’s practice.

“Damar, he’s one of the guys, too, one word I can say is ‘consistency,’” Rapp said. “He’s played at a really high level, dating back even to the spring in OTAs. Just to see his growth in this second week of camp, too, he’s grown a lot. He’s really playing at a high level, continued to play consistent. Developing a groove with him, really excited to see the rest of camp and how this plays out. Really, really proud of him.”

Jul 24, 2024; Rochester, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) and wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) sign autographs for fans after a training camp session at St. John Fisher University. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Rapp’s comments about Hamlin consistently playing at a high level echo a sentiment first shared by head coach Sean McDermott at minicamp; the sideline boss then stated an almost identical comment, telling reporters that Hamlin was “playing more consistent, playing at a high level.”

And though he was overlooked entering camp, his strong play isn’t necessarily surprising; Hamlin has immense experience in Buffalo’s defensive scheme, not looking particularly out of place when he started 13 games in place of an injured Micah Hyde in the 2022 campaign. His sophomore year was prematurely halted after he suffered an on-field cardiac arrest during the Bills’ Week 17 clash with the Cincinnati Bengals; he’s since made a miraculous recovery, and his earning a spot in Buffalo’s Week 1 lineup would provide a fairytale culmination to what has already been an unbelievable story.

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