Sean McDermott
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Sean McDermott looks on during a Buffalo Bills game.
The Buffalo Bills are aiming to finally get past the Kansas City Chiefs and into the Super Bowl, and one insider believes the team is looking at one final move to make it happen.
The Bills made some improvements to their defense this year, using the bulk of their draft to address that side of the ball and bringing in one big-name free agent looking to turn around his career. ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes the Bills will hit the trade block to finalize their defense, suggesting that the team is one or two players away from finally getting back to the big game.
Bills Could Address Position of Need
Graziano noted that the Bills feel great about their offense heading into the 2025 season, bringing back most of the main pieces from last year’s team that finished second in scoring in the NFL. Quarterback Josh Allen is coming off an MVP season and running back James Cook signed a four-year contract extension, setting the team up for another high-scoring year.
But Graziano noted that there are some question marks on defense, especially at one key position.
“But [the team is] still putting things together on the defensive side of the ball, where the Bills finished in the bottom half of the league last season with 5.5 yards allowed per play,” he wrote. “The safety position has been a particularly thorny question mark, especially considering how important that position is in coach Sean McDermott’s defense.”
The Bills have veteran Taylor Rapp set to start at free safety but have not landed on their strong safety. Second-year safety Cole Bishop was slated to move into the starting role, but struggled during training camp and the preseason. Last year’s starter, Damar Hamlin, also had some low moments during the preseason.
Graziano suggested the Bills could find their starter through the trade block.
“McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich have done an excellent job in recent years of making in-season adjustments and bringing that group together. But don’t be shocked if the front office looks to help them out here in the coming weeks or months with a strategic addition or two.”
Bills Already Made One Safety Move
The Bills have brought in some trusted help at safety, though the move may not impact them much on the field. The team signed veteran Jordan Poyer to the practice squad, putting him in position to mentor some of the team’s younger safeties.
Poyer played for the Bills from 2017 to 2023, then was released in a flurry of cap-cutting moves early in the 2024 preseason. He played a season for the Miami Dolphins but struggled on the field, then said after the season that he hoped to finish out his NFL career in Buffalo.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane said the team was excited to bring the veteran on to their practice squad, even if he won’t be in a position to play much during the season.
“As you guys know, culture, character, leadership, all those things, you can’t find enough guys like that,” Beane said, via SI.com. “Now with the rules since COVID, being able to have vets on there, I think, is one of the best things our league has done.”