The Buffalo Bills endured a lopsided 38-0 loss to the Chicago Bears in their second preseason game of the year, a result that might unsettle some fans but serves to remind that exhibition games exist to work out kinks. There have been plenty of questions about both safety positions since Buffalo moved on from Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde.
With that, all eyes are now on Cole Bishop, a 2024 second-round pick who’s projected to start alongside Taylor Rapp. Despite a rough outing against the Chicago Bears,
Bishop continues to flash athleticism that suggests he’ll thrive as a starter with more experience.
Bishop played just 12 snaps across a couple of series in Chicago, and he was the only projected starter among a reserve-heavy defense. The Bears’ pass-heavy attack overwhelmed Buffalo’s vanilla scheme, and Bishop struggled in coverage — notably getting beaten in man coverage by slot receiver Olamide Zaccheaus for a touchdown. He recorded one tackle (solo) in limited action. So while Bishop’s play deserves some scrutiny, context and metrics can help point Bills Mafia to a less apocalyptic future.
Bishop’s athletic profile outpaces Damar Hamlin (who started 14 games in 2024) and, despite the struggles when the Kansas City Chiefs took advantage of his physical limitations in the playoffs, hardly ever looked like a complete liability. At 6’2” and 207 pounds, Bishop’s 4.45-second 40-yard dash (89th percentile) and 128.3 burst score (79th percentile) surpass Hamlin’s 4.62 40-yard dash (73rd percentile).
In 2024, Bishop allowed a 62.4 passer rating when targeted (358 snaps), outperforming Hamlin’s 78.3, implying sharper coverage instincts. His rookie stats — 40 tackles (25 solo), 1 forced fumble, 2 pass deflections, 3 stuffs in 16 games (4 starts) — speak to his play-making ability.
In the 2024 AFC Championship against Kansas City, Bishop showed great range with 10 tackles (9 solo) and almost made a game-changing interception of a questionable catch by Xavier Worthy, which resulted in a first down to the Chiefs. If he got there a little bit earlier, or if Worthy didn’t (incredibly) keep one hand on the ball, we’d be here talking about what an awesome play Bishop made. Game of inches.
Bishop’s inexperience is obvious: He’s a second-year player who’s struggled with nagging injuries that have robbed him of valuable reps in camp. He’s also the main investment by the team at the position. After a slow start and a promising finish last season, Bishop needs an opportunity to show if he can get to the level the Bills expect of him. A bad series when coming back from injury and playing surrounded by several struggling backups shouldn’t carry more value than an entire season of continued development.
If we analyze the play where he was beaten for a touchdown in Chicago, Zaccheaus is a shifty slot receiver with a knack for exploiting mismatches (45 receptions and 506 yards with Washington last season). But it wasn’t as awful as some overreactions lead one to believe.
Pre-snap motion isolated Bishop in man coverage, where he shaded outside, expecting inside help by the “Robber” (in this case, middle linebacker Joe Andreessen). The help was nowhere near where it’s supposed to be, and Bishop couldn’t stay close enough to his man.
Ideally, he’s able to at least make the tackle there, but most safeties would struggle against quick slot receivers like Zaccheaus, making this a tough matchup, not a defining moment, especially for a player who, according to Bishop himself, was playing to get his “legs back underneath” him.
Bishop’s Utah tape (2 INTs, 3 sacks in 2023) shows versatility across box and free safety roles, and he was able to flash it in limited opportunities last season as well. Head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich have a history of developing defensive backs, which should bode well for the second-year man.
Partnered with Taylor Rapp, Bishop should help form a decent starting safety tandem within Buffalo’s scheme. Bishop’s development could help elevate the team’s safety play to another level, so he needs to play; otherwise, there’s a big chance the Bills will see another high draft pick fail to receive opportunities at real playing time, learn from mistakes, and become the best version of themselves.
If Bishop falters he may face scrutiny, especially with later-drafted safeties like Kamren Kinchens (Los Angeles Rams) starting. But Bishop’s athletic edge, playoff impact, and coachable errors suggest he’ll be fine. I believe he’ll continue to round into form, learn from this bad experience (as he did when he struggled against the Houston Texans early last season), sync with Rapp, and be ready for the season.
The safety position isn’t an such that it’s easy to just sign somebody off the street and have him on point with all the communication checks, of which the position demands awareness. It might be prudent to look for better depth there.
Hamlin is athletically limited, Cam Lewis is undersized, and Jordan Hancock is a rookie. Darrick Forrest Jr. seems to be a failed experiment, just like Mike Edwards was a year ago. That said, with where things are right now, the best answer to begin the season may be to have Bishop and Rapp starting together. Bishop is also teh Bills’ best hope of finding a true difference maker at the safety spot by playoff time. Give him time.
Catch up on all this and more with the latest edition of Leading the Charge
