Still a giant hole at saftey?

[DC Grid]

It seems like the Bills keep getting the same guy at safety.  Namely an in the box safety.  Cole Bishop is now the 3rd in the box guy they’ve signed up for next year as Rapp and Edwards are also in the box safeties.  So who on the roster can play deep center?  Poyer was a phenomenal in the box saftey and they’ve replaced him in triplicate, but Hyde was a great center fielder (who had lost a step) and there doesn’t seem to be anyone on the roster who can even come close to filling this void.  I realize there are a couple of other guys on the roster like Hamlin but none of these guys have ever put anything on tape that merits consideration as a starter at any position. This all seems particularly troubling in a league where the top teams all have great deep options that will run wild if the Bills don’t have a dependable deep center.  

[TheyCallMeAndy]

Bishop isn’t a box safety, he’s the most athletic DB on the roster next to Elam. 
 

Bills also like their safeties to be able to cover deep and play in the box, he’ll do both. 

Edited April 28 by TheyCallMeAndy

[TH3]

4 minutes ago, DC Grid said:

It seems like the Bills keep getting the same guy at safety.  Namely an in the box safety.  Cole Bishop is now the 3rd in the box guy they’ve signed up for next year as Rapp and Edwards are also in the box safeties.  So who on the roster can play deep center?  Poyer was a phenomenal in the box saftey and they’ve replaced him in triplicate, but Hyde was a great center fielder (who had lost a step) and there doesn’t seem to be anyone on the roster who can even come close to filling this void.  I realize there are a couple of other guys on the roster like Hamlin but none of these guys have ever put anything on tape that merits consideration as a starter at any position. This all seems particularly troubling in a league where the top teams all have great deep options that will run wild if the Bills don’t have a dependable deep center.  

This is concerning and troubling

 

[oldmanfan]

No.

[Ya Digg?]

Everything I have read and watched on Bishop says he can tackle, cover, and play deep. Perhaps you’re seeing and different things than I am 

[GunnerBill]

So I also see Cole as more of a Poyer replacement than a Hyde replacement. I don't love his timing as a centre fielder whereas his instincts and timing are much better when he is in closer in the box or covering closer to the line. But I do buy the "he is the most athletic safety on the team" argument.

 

Personally I think Edwards will start as the deep safety with Cole primarily in the box. But let's see how it shakes out.

 

[Big Turk]

2 hours ago, DC Grid said:

It seems like the Bills keep getting the same guy at safety.  Namely an in the box safety.  Cole Bishop is now the 3rd in the box guy they’ve signed up for next year as Rapp and Edwards are also in the box safeties.  So who on the roster can play deep center?  Poyer was a phenomenal in the box saftey and they’ve replaced him in triplicate, but Hyde was a great center fielder (who had lost a step) and there doesn’t seem to be anyone on the roster who can even come close to filling this void.  I realize there are a couple of other guys on the roster like Hamlin but none of these guys have ever put anything on tape that merits consideration as a starter at any position. This all seems particularly troubling in a league where the top teams all have great deep options that will run wild if the Bills don’t have a dependable deep center.  

 

Well if that's true then why did Kincaid say that Bishop usually got the better of him in Coverage in practice?

 

According to you he would be getting smoked one on one?

 

I think you should actually go watch film of the player and stop reading media representations. Your assessment is WAY off with Bishop. He is super athletic and runs a 4.45 40, and can pretty much do it all

[SoonerBillsFan]

No.

[PBF81]

As you realize, I'm no McD fan, but he's good at getting more from our defensive roster than otherwise would have been gotten.  

 

Not saying that there aren't holes or issues, but worrying about the D shouldn't be a concern.  

 

Besides, it's continually the D that fails us in the playoffs. 

 

Offense is where any concerns should lay.  We'll see how their methodology takes root, or not, this fall.  

 

 

[Mikie2times]

3 hours ago, TH3 said:

This is concerning and troubling

 

To say this could be the end as we know it would be to undersell the situation

[Ben]

Maybe they see one of the corners with speed at safety, the kid Hardy we got in the sixth ran 4.38.

[Mat68]

I give Mcdermott all the credit in the doubt with this pick. Seems like the guy he wanted at safety.  Seems like the same way he wanted Bernard 2 years ago.  

[BuffAlone]

No. Bishop can play both spots. Might be better in the box at the moment,but he'll be well coached. Also I'd say there's still a possibility of having Hyde returning after June 1,which would still be a better option than Rapp or Edwards

[boyst]

I can see us doing two things... Bringing back Hyde. And singing Simmons.

 

We told Simmons that he's getting $$ June 1st. 

[bills6969]

Is there still the possibility that Elam moves over to safety as the cover guy?

[buffblue]

21 minutes ago, Ben said:

Maybe they see one of the corners with speed at safety, the kid Hardy we got in the sixth ran 4.38.

He's listed at 5'9" and 178 pounds. There have been plenty of shorter safeties but they are much heavier, so Hardy looks to be strictly a nickel. Even guys like Jim Leonard, Bob Sanders, and Tyrann Mathieu weighed at least 190. Can't see this as an option.

Edited April 28 by buffblue

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

I'm not too worried about the safety position because Poyer and Hyde were noticeably slower last year, yet we still had a top ranked defense.

 

I think Rapp is the odd man out at safety. He showed very little in the way of coverage skills for us last season and I was surprised that he was re-signed. He'll still probably get some reps as a big nickel and in 3 safety looks.

 

I'm more worried about our depth at outside cornerback considering our only option behind Benford and Douglas is Kaiir "Healthy Scratch" Elam

[wppete]

I would argue we improved at safety this year. Bishop is a bigger, more athletic, younger version of Poyer and Mike Edwards is a younger, healthy and available over Hyde who has health concerns and for that reason retired. 

[947]

If you watch Bishop's first interview at OBD, he says that he can play both FS & SS equally.

 

His first 2 years at Utah, he only played SS. In the '23 season he played exclusively one half of the field & that ended up being either FS or SS depending on the play, it was a pretty even split.

[transplantbillsfan]

No there isn't