Bills Could Trade Another Top Star Before the 2024 Season: Analyst
The Buffalo Bills lost two of their longest-tenured players when safety Micah Hyde went free and fellow safety Jordan Poyer was released, and one expert feels more change is on the way in the secondary.
In a post-draft roster breakdown, The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia anticipated that fourth-year safety Damar Hamlin would face competition for his position this summer after the Bills gained talent through free agency and the NFL draft.
Buscaglia projected that the Bills would also consider trading Hamlin.
“Hamlin looks like he’s on the outside looking in on the roster this year,” wrote Buscaglia. “The Bills’ trading him at some point before the season would not be a surprise, either.”
Following Hyde’s long-term injury in 2022, Hamlin was catapulted into the starting lineup, but he took a significant step back in 2023, appearing in only five games. While Hamlin’s decreased playing time might be attributed in part to his recovery from a cardiac collapse on the field the previous season, Buscaglia expected that Hamlin would be eclipsed by some of the team’s recently signed safety.
Bills safety is ‘up in the air’ This season, Buscaglia predicts that starting spots are “entirely up in the air” with the losses of Hyde and Poyer. However, returning Taylor Rapp and second-round draft selection Cole Bishop are anticipated to have an advantage.
“Rapp seems the safest bet to be on the first team through the spring and summer,” stated Buscaglia. “It would not be surprising if the Bills gave Bishop, [Mike] Edwards and [Cam] Lewis a chance to earn it with the top unit in practice.”
That might be a difficult struggle for Hamlin, who may find himself on the outside of the roster bubble this summer.
