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One NFL analyst believes the Buffalo Bills have found a potential keeper in former Washington Commanders safety Darrick Forrest.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane has historically done some of his best work along the margins, watching low-key additions like Jordan Poyer and Cole Beasley outperform their contracts and cement themselves as difference-makers.
While it’s still yet to translate into a Super Bowl, Beane is already being commended for one particular move he made this offseason.
Look no further than safety Darrick Forrest, who inked a one-year, $1.3 million contract with Buffalo in March. The ex-Washington Commander was recently listed as a potential breakout candidate by CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso.
Trapasso notes that Buffalo has done a tremendous job developing safeties under coach Sean McDermott, citing the likes of Poyer and Micah Hyde, and that the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Forrest possesses the physical tools to be the next in line.
“Forrest is a big-time athlete — 9.69 Relative Athletic Score — who flashed early in his career in Washington with four interceptions, nine pass breakups and a whopping 88 tackles when thrust into a starting role in his second season,” Trapasso writes.
Forrest Fell Out of Favor in Washington
Forrest has yet to regain the form that made him look like a budding star in the Washington secondary.
In 2023, the former fifth-rounder out of Cincinnati was limited to five games because of a shoulder injury. His production was minimal, as he made only 29 tackles and did not record an interception.
While Forrest stayed healthy the following season, he never seemed to mesh with new defensive coordinator Joe Whitt. Forrest appeared in 10 games, including one start, but was inactive for several others and played fewer than 100 defensive snaps.
Despite having already lost one safety to free agency in Jeremy Chinn (Las Vegas Raiders), the Commanders were content to let Forrest follow him out the door.
NFL Analysts Bullish on Bills Safeties
Last season, Pro Football Focus rated Forrest as the 65th-best safety out of 171 eligible players with a 66.2 overall grade. Furthermore, he was just 69th in pass protection.
Despite those poor marks, Trapasso suggests the Bills were wise to sign Forrest, noting he could be in line for significant playing time.
“He just turned 26 years old and has the range and ball skills to outproduce his relatively cheap one-year deal,” Trapasso writes. “The Bills are no longer boasting All-Pros at the safety spot, and don’t be surprised if Forrest earns legitimate playing time en route to a breakout 2026 in Buffalo.”
The Bills’ safety room also includes Taylor Rapp, Demar Hamlin, and Cole Bishop. Cam Lewis could be in the mix as well.
Many NFL analysts are high on the group. This includes ESPN’s Aaron Schatz, who singled out Rapp as one of the league’s most underrated players.
“Although many have described the Bills’ safeties as underwhelming,” Schatz said, “they were an important part of a defense that finished 11th in DVOA last season. They ranked seventh in defensive DVOA on deep passes (16 or more air yards), and Rapp was most frequently in the role of deep safety.”