Can rookie Cole Bishop reverse the Bills' safety woes in 2024?

ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - JUNE 11: Cole Bishop #24 of the Buffalo Bills walks off the field after Buffalo Bills mandatory mini camp on June 11, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)

Josh Allen is the face of the Buffalo Bills franchise, but from 2017 through 2022, as the team ascended to the status of perennial Super Bowl contender, the Bills' defense was defined by the safety duo of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. While the Bills cycled through their fronts and linebackers, Poyer and Hyde were the spine of Sean McDermott's defenses.

Until last season, when it all fell apart.

The Bills ranked 12th in Defensive DVOA in 2023 after ranking second the year before. That had a lot to do with horrible injury luck overall, but it also spoke to a decline at the safety position. Poyer allowed 33 catches on 45 targets for 349 yards, 136 yards after the catch, one touchdown, no interceptions, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 102.9. Hyde allowed 25 catches on 32 targets for 314 yards, 80 yards after the catch, four touchdowns, two interceptions, two pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 121.1.

Poyer is now with the Dolphins on a one-year, $2 million contract. Hyde is a free agent on the open market. The Bills, who are in rebuild mode in a lot of ways, are elevating Taylor Rapp as a safety after a 2023 season in which he earned starting reps the right way. And with the 60th overall pick in the 2024 draft, Buffalo took Utah safety Cole Bishop to round it out.

This could be a big deal. Last season for the Utes, Bishop allowed 14 catches on 27 targets for 170 yards, 58 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, two interceptions, one pass breakup, and an opponent passer rating of 65.4.

Moreover, Bishop perfectly fits what the Bills want their safeties to do.

“They want their safeties to do a lot,” Bishop said after the pick. “I think my versatility is something that kind of separates me, so being able to go to a team that you’re able to be versatile is huge. So I think I’m going to be able to excel as best I can.”

General manager Brandon Beane was certainly on board; he was pretty worried that Bishop wouldn't be where Beane wanted him to be in the draft order.

“He really impressed us throughout the process, his knowledge of the game, his smarts, everyone at Utah raves about him,” Beane said of Bishop. “Probably one of the most consensus players on our board.

“To add a guy that fits our defense the way he does and where we had him on the board … I would have been thrilled giving up something in the draft, you know fourth, fifth round to go get him.”

Why are the Bills so happy about their new guy? Because Bishop can get it done all over the field.

From slot to the deep third, Bishop comes into the NFL with a well-developed skill set, having already played in a defense that's NFL-conversant to a large degree.

Can Cole Bishop turn around one of the most important positions in Buffalo's defense? Don't bet against him.

This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Can rookie Cole Bishop reverse the Bills' safety woes in 2024?