The Buffalo Bills have already signed veteran safeties C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone to shore up their safety room this offseason, and then, on Friday, the Bills brought back a familiar face to serve as valuable depth at the position.
Today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks leads off by discussing the news that Damar Hamlin is returning to the team on a one-year deal.
Damar Hamlin back on one-year deal
Damar Hamlin has been a fan-favorite and a great underdog story ever since he worked his way back onto the field following a cardiac
arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals during the 2022 NFL season.
Hamlin’s fate with the 2026 Bills was uncertain, however, as he was a free agent and the Bills had already brought in veterans C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone to surround up-and-coming starter Cole Bishop in the safety room.
But Hamlin, who turned 28 on Tuesday, is staying with the Bills on a one-year contract, returning for a sixth season with Buffalo. The signing of Hamlin gives the Bills a deep and experienced quartet of safeties at the back of their defense.
Hamlin has appeared in 53 career regular-season games (27 starts) and seven career playoff games (three starts) with two career interceptions, nine pass breakups, 2.5 sacks and one fumble recovery. During the 2024 season, Hamlin started 14 games and recorded his first three takeaways, and in Buffalo’s AFC Divisional Round home win over the Baltimore Ravens, Hamlin delivered a crucial strip-sack of Lamar Jackson that served as a key turning point in the victory.
Last season, Hamlin served as a backup to Bishop and Taylor Rapp and appeared in only five games because of a pectoral injury.
As of now, it appears Bishop and Gardner-Johnson will likely serve as the two starting safeties, with Stone and Hamlin serving as valuable depth pieces.
- Bills bring back safety Damar Hamlin on a one-year deal – Buffalo News (subscription required)
- Buffalo Bills re-sign Damar Hamlin – WGRZ
- Safety Damar Hamlin re-signs with Bills on 1-year deal – The Athletic (subscription required)
- Bills Re-Sign Longtime Safety – WGR 550
- Bills bring back Hamlin on one-year contract – ESPN.com
- Bills sign S Damar Hamlin to one-year deal – BuffaloBills.com
- NFL news roundup: Bills re-sign safety Damar Hamlin – NFL.com
- Bills Bring Back Damar Hamlin – Pro Football Rumors
- Why Bills Re-Signed Damar Hamlin after Adding Two Starting Safeties – Sports Illustrated Buffalo Bills
Even more Bills news
Speculating on what it would take the Bills to extend starting right guard O’Cyrus Torrence. Plus, breaking down Buffalo’s chances of trading for edge rusher Myles Garrett; and the Pro Football Hall of Fame is honoring three former Bills during the annual Awards of Excellence program.
- How much would it cost the Bills to sign O’Cyrus Torrence to an extension? – Buffalo News (subscription required)
- What It Would Take for the Bills to Trade for Myles Garrett – Sports Illustrated Buffalo Bills
- Bills Named as Myles Garrett Suitor Amid Trade Talk That ‘Makes Sense’ – Sports Illustrated Buffalo Bills
- Pro Football Hall of Fame honoring three former Bills at 2026 Awards of Excellence program – BuffaloBills.com
Buffalo Bills articles recently featured on Buffalo Rumblings
- Damar Hamlin is back with the Bills – Buffalo Rumblings
- In evaluating 2025, where can the Bills’ ST unit improve in 2026? – Buffalo Rumblings
- Mitch Wishnowsky punts better than his Bills stats suggest – Buffalo Rumblings
- Can you guess this Bills linebacker in today’s in-5 trivia game – Buffalo Rumblings









