Bills HC Sean McDermott is 'real proud' of overlooked CB after solid performance

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott was pleased with what he saw from former undrafted cornerback Ja'Marcus Ingram on Saturday night.

Kyle Silagyi | Aug 18, 2024

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Buffalo Bills | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Sean McDermott is going to get the absolute most out of an overlooked defensive back.

The Buffalo Bills sideline boss has made a career out of placing young and veteran defensive backs cast off by the rest of the league in positions to succeed, using his scheme to mask their deficiencies and, more often than not, getting productive play out of them. There are countless examples of this phenomenon over the years, with Ja’Marcus Ingram appearing to be the latest graduate of the ‘Sean McDermott School for unnoticed defenders.’

The cornerback signed with the Bills out of the University at Buffalo in 2022 following a successful rookie minicamp tryout, spending the vast majority of his first two seasons on the team’s practice squad. He hasn’t looked particularly stellar when given a scant few defensive opportunities as a professional (he’s recorded three tackles in five career games), but he’s earned the trust of Buffalo’s brass thanks to his work ethic and consistency. Defensive coordinator Bobby Babich praised the 26-year-old last week, citing him as an example of “what you love to see from a coach’s perspective.”

Ingram has seemingly worked his way into a key-depth role in Buffalo’s secondary, as he’s currently penciled in as the team’s No. 4 cornerback. He affirmed the coaching staff’s confidence in the Bills’ preseason Week 2 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, tallying eight tackles as he saw surprising time in the slot and looked generally reliable.

Simply put, he looked like a defensive back whom McDermott can work with. The coach complimented Ingram’s performance and general game after the team’s 9-3 win, stating that he’s a player beloved by his peers.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

“He practices the same way,” McDermott said. “His teammates love him, they respect him for the way he works and all of the work he puts in physically, all of the work he puts in on the mental part of the game. I’m just real proud of him.”

Ingram displaying positional versatility and looking generally dependable bode well for his roster aspirations, which weren’t necessarily cloudy to begin with. He’ll look to further make his mark on the team’s coaching staff in Buffalo’s preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers next Saturday afternoon.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI —