Entering his seventh season, Taylor Rapp’s role as a starting safety is secure, but there’s always room to grow. And there’s time to help those around him.
buffalonews.com
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series previewing the Bills’ position groups as training camp looms. Today: Safeties.
Taylor Rapp has reason to be comfortable, but the Buffalo Bills safety knows to keep pushing himself.
Entering his seventh season, Rapp’s role as a starting safety is secure, but there’s always room to grow. And there’s time to help those around him.
The Bills didn’t overhaul their safety room by any means this offseason. After Rapp and Damar Hamlin started last year, there’s more trust in Rapp than ever before for Buffalo. He had a year playing behind Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer to get his feet set in Buffalo, and now he has shifted to helping younger players get their game right.
Rapp has developed his communication with second-year safety Cole Bishop as well, and as the group gears up for this season, there’s a position battle brewing opposite Rapp. Rapp will be counted on to be consistent and to be a leader, both aspects of the job with which he’s comfortable.
Bills safety Cole Bishop is more comfortable as he enters his second season with Buffalo.
Derek Gee, Buffalo News
On the roster: Eight.
Taylor Rapp, Cole Bishop, Damar Hamlin, Darrick Forrest, Wande Owens, Daryl Porter Jr., Cam Lewis (also cornerback), Jordan Hancock (also cornerback).
How many on the final 53?
Six, counting hybrid Lewis and Hancock.
Most impactful offseason move
Bringing back Hamlin. It’s a one-year deal, but the Bills found it in their best interest to keep Hamlin, who had hit free agency. Whether or not he starts, Hamlin brings plenty of experience in this defense. He’s aiming to move into the veteran role of mentoring younger players, a benefit in a youthful group.
Biggest question to answer in camp
Safety is one of the few spots where a starting role is up for grabs, which brings us to …
Battle to watch
Bishop vs. Hamlin. The main battle here is to see who will start opposite Rapp this season. Hamlin won the job last year as Bishop hit a speed bump during rookie training camp with a shoulder injury. A second-round pick, Bishop is worth investing in by the Bills, and the team expects him to take a jump in his second season. Can he earn the starting nod? The odds are in Bishop’s favor, but there’s still weeks to see how it plays out.
Under-the-radar player
Darrick Forrest. He got some added playing time during the spring when Hamlin and Bishop were sidelined with injuries. Forrest is still learning the Bills’ defense after joining the team this offseason from the Washington Commanders. Even entering Year 5, he has allowed Rapp to mentor him, and he’s still finding ways to grow. If Forrest can establish himself on special teams, he can hang around even longer. Still, he’ll need to outlast a deep safeties room to make an impact.
