To overhaul or to retool? That is the question...
The Buffalo Bills have built enviable depth at the cornerback position over the course of the last few seasons. While many teams struggle to field a strong secondary, the Bills consistently churn out starting-caliber corners. Buffalo’s depth is such that many players who draw the ire of fans would likely play much greater roles on other clubs.
The elephant in the room, though, remains that the Bills have a group that’s much better at playing zone coverage than they do man coverage. While this has fit head coach and defensive play-caller Sean McDermott’s style throughout his tenure, it seems as if the team might be ready for a shift in philosophy moving forward. They can look at the Kansas City Chiefs as a great example of why playing tight, disruptive man coverage is preferable to playing zone, especially in big games.
Does this mean that the team is going to move on from some of its zone-heavy corners? We’re still a few weeks away from being able to answer that question. However, if the Bills could make their secondary younger, more athletic, and more versatile with a few well-timed moves, it could pay off huge dividends.
In today’s look at the state of the Bills roster, we profile the corners.
Editor’s Note: While the team parted ways with cornerback Tre’Davious White (post-June 1 designation release) and defensive back Dane Jackson on Wednesday, the content on each remains below as a choice to highlight the prescient nature of Sean’s work in researching this group.
Christian Benford
Contract status for 2024: Signed; third year of four-year rookie deal (1,033,569 cap hit; $97,138 dead-cap charge if released or traded; .4% of total team cap)
Age: 23 (24 on 9/21/2024)
Playing time: 15 games (14 starts), 824 defensive snaps (76.9% of team total), 31 special teams snaps (7.2% of team total)
Key statistics: 54 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 10 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovered
What a hit in the draft Benford was, as general manager Brandon Beane unearthed a sixth-round diamond for the Bills. Benford was Buffalo’s de facto CB1 last year, and he acquitted himself well. He’s an adept tackler who’s adequate in man coverage and excellent in zone looks. His versatility is something that many of Buffalo’s other corners lack, and when one combines Benford’s youth with his age, it’s a win for the Bills. He’ll likely be CB2 regardless of the other corners on the roster next year, although it wouldn’t surprise me to see him take another step forward and play even better next year than he did this year.
Rasul Douglas
Contract status for 2024: Signed; final year of three-year contract ($9,973,529 cap hit; $0 dead-cap charge if released or traded; 3.91% of total team cap)
Age: 29 (30 on 8/29/2024)
Playing time (w/Buffalo): 9 games (8 starts), 503 defensive snaps (46.9% of team total), 3 special teams snaps (.7% of team total)
Key statistics (w/Buffalo): 29 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 1 quarterback hit, 4 interceptions, 8 pass breakups, 1 interception returned for touchdown, 2 fumbles recovered
Douglas came aboard via trade at the deadline, and he proved himself to be a perfect fit for Sean McDermott’s zone-heavy scheme. Douglas made plenty of splash plays, and that continued into the postseason — as he forced a fumble in Buffalo’s Wild Card victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Douglas was significantly better for the Bills (38.9 passer rating against, 51.3% of the passes thrown his way completed) than he was for the Green Bay Packers (109 passer rating against, 65.9% of the passes thrown his way completed), so I assume that the two sides will want to remain a pair. However, Buffalo simply cannot afford to keep Douglas’ cap hit at the number it is, so an extension is going to have to happen.
UPDATE: The Bills plan to restructure Douglas’ contract, and that restructure saves the Bills approximately $2.5 million on the 2024 salary cap.
Kaiir Elam
Contract status for 2024: Signed; third year of four-year rookie contract ($3,733,857 cap hit; $8,090,024 dead-cap charge if released or traded; 1.46% of total team cap)
Age: 22 (23 on 5/5/2024)
Playing time: 3 games (2 starts), 157 defensive snaps (14.7% of team total), 8 special teams snaps (1.9% of team total)
Key statistics: 14 tackles
Yikes. Buffalo’s 2022 first-round draft choice hasn’t earned much in terms of playing time, and when he has been asked to step in and play, it hasn’t always been pretty. Elam was flat-out bad early in the season, and when he was placed on Injured Reserve (IR), many of us thought it was a phantom ankle injury. However, we later learned that he had been playing with a torn ligament in his right foot, and when he returned, his first action came against the Steelers in the playoffs. Elam made up for a holding penalty by intercepting quarterback Mason Rudolph in the end zone to squelch a potential Pittsburgh scoring drive. Elam is extremely athletic, he is a little too grabby at times, and he seems to perform better in off-man coverage than he does in zone or press-man. Year 3 is going to be a turning point for him in his career, for better or worse.
Dane Jackson
Contract status for 2024: Unsigned; UFA
Age: 27 (28 on 11/29/2024)
Playing time: 15 games (6 starts), 463 defensive snaps (43.2% of team total), 101 special teams snaps (23.5% of team total)
Key statistics: 39 tackles, 5 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble
Jackson has been the ultimate worker-bee for the Bills over the course of his career. As far as reserves go, he’s everything a coach wants. He knows the defense, he works hard, he’s a willing tackler, and he isn’t afraid to mix it up with wideouts who are much bigger and stronger than he is. If you’re looking for a starter, you could absolutely do better than Jackson. However, if you’re looking for a player who will give his all on special teams and can step in when your top corners are hurt? Jackson is an ideal fit for a role like that. If the numbers work, I could see the two sides reuniting this offseason; however, I think it’s more likely that Jackson finds a two-year deal where a team desperate for secondary help may give him the chance to compete for a starting gig at a little more money than the Bills can offer.
Taron Johnson
Contract status for 2024: Signed; final year of three-year contract ($12,409,833 cap hit; $4,712,500 dead-cap charge if released or traded; 4.86% of total team cap)
Age: 27 (28 on 7/27/2024)
Playing time: 17 games (17 starts), 955 defensive snaps (89.1% of team total), 8 special teams snaps (1.9% of team total)
Key statistics: 98 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 quarterback hits, 1 sack, 8 pass breakups, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovered
Johnson is one of the league’s best slot corners, and he suits up for the Bills on more snaps than nearly anyone. He was third on the team in tackles and tied for second in pass breakups, all while playing as a sort of hybrid linebacker-slash-cornerback in Buffalo’s base nickel defense. While Johnson is another player whose cap hit is far too high for the team this coming season, there’s next to zero chance that the two sides don’t come to an agreement on a contract extension. I assume they’ll try to do something in the neighborhood of the same deal he signed prior to the 2022 season (three years, $24 million). That deal included just a $4.5 million cap hit in the first year. If the Bills could take $8 million of Johnson’s 2024 cap hit and spread it out over the next three seasons, that would be ideal for a club in desperate need of cap space.
Cam Lewis
Contract status for 2024: Unsigned; UFA
Age: 26 (27 on 4/13/2024)
Playing time: 17 games, 322 special teams snaps (774.9% of team total), 144 defensive snaps (13.4% of team total)
Key statistics: 21 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 pass breakups
Lewis has become a mainstay on special teams for the Bills, and he’s been among their leaders in special teams tackles now for two consecutive seasons. I would assume that there will be mutual interest in returning, as Lewis doubles and triples as a reserve slot corner and safety on game days, as well. He’ll likely come at a smaller rate of pay than Siran Neal’s current contract, and there’s an argument to be made that Lewis is the more valuable player to the Bills, as well.
Siran Neal
Contract status for 2024: Signed; final year of three-year contract ($3,413,333 cap hit; $533,333 dead-cap charge if released or traded; 1.34% of total team cap)
Age: 29 (30 on 8/4/2024)
Playing time: 17 games, 342 special teams snaps (79.5% of team total), 45 defensive snaps (4.2% of team total)
Key statistics: 13 tackles
Neal is still one of Buffalo’s top special teams players, but as he approaches 30 years old with a large cap hit for his role, it’s fair to wonder if the team will release him or offer a contract extension to push some of his cap into the future. Neal is also one of the players McDermott uses to slow Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, but as we’ve seen over the last several seasons, that strategy has come with mixed results. Neal is an excellent gunner on punts and a sound tackler on kickoff coverage. Which do the Bills value more: The $3 million in cap savings or Neal’s contributions over the course of his career?
UPDATE: The Bills and Neal parted ways this past Wednesday.
Ja’Marcus Ingram
Contract status for 2024: Signed reserve/future contract on 1/22/2024 ($918,750 cap hit; $7,500 dead-cap charge if released or traded; .36% of total team cap)
Age: 26 (27 on 9/2/2024)
Playing time: 3 games, 36 special teams snaps (8.4% of team total), 8 defensive snaps (.75% of team total)
Key statistics: Ingram came up from the practice squad for a few games in 2023, but he played sparingly in those contests. While he can be affordably retained, he’s old for a practice squad player and he hasn’t shown that he can do much more than be a warm body if needed to fill in on defense, albeit in exceptionally limited action over the last two years. He’ll be fighting to maintain his spot on the practice squad.
Tre’Davious White
Contract status for 2024: Signed; third year of four-year contract ($16,443,737 cap hit; $10,369,836 dead-cap charge if released or traded; 6.44% of total team cap)
Age: 29 (30 on 1/16/2025)
Playing time: 4 games (4 starts), 182 defensive snaps (16.98% of team total)
Key statistics: 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 quarterback hit, 2 pass breakups, 1 interception
Talk about bad luck. After suffering an ACL tear on Thanksgiving Night in 2021, White finally began to look a little like himself at the opening of the 2023 season. Tre’ had allowed just 9-of-18 passes thrown his way to be completed, and while he allowed two touchdowns on those 18 pass attempts, he also had an interception. He had allowed just 56 yards and a 70.6 quarterback rating against. One of those touchdowns was an unreal circus catch from New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson on opening night, too, where White had perfect coverage and Garrett just made a play. What could have been a promising comeback story for White ended in Buffalo’s fourth game, as he tore his Achilles’ tendon in the Bills’ 48-20 thrashing of the Miami Dolphins on October 1. White is one of the most charismatic Bills players in recent memory, and his incredible work ethic was matched by his ability; however, he’s essentially lost his age-26, age-27, and age-28 seasons to injury, and he’ll begin his age-29 season coming off a major injury. This is going to be one of the worst decisions the Bills have to make this offseason, and it’s mostly because of how much the team values the person in the business.
UPDATE: The Bills reportedly will release White when the league year begins, designating him a post-June 1 cut to save $10.2 million on the 2024 cap after that date.
Kyron Brown
Contract status for 2024: Signed reserve/future contract on 1/22/2024 ($994,000 cap hit; $9,000 dead-cap charge if released or traded; .39% of total team cap)
Age: 27 (28 on 5/26/2024)
Playing time: N/A
Key statistics: N/A
Brown signed with Buffalo’s practice squad at the end of the preseason. He signed with the Bills at the end of July and spent the preseason with the club. He had three tackles in three preseason games.
Josh Norman
Contract status for 2024: Unsigned; UFA
Age: 36 (37 on 12/15/2024)
Playing time: 4 games, 17 special teams snaps (3.95% of team total), 5 defensive snaps (.47% of team total)
Key statistics: 4 tackles
The veteran signed with the Bills’ practice squad last season after a rash of injuries. He appeared exclusively on special teams, but his biggest role seemed to be as a sideline hype-man and motivator for the club. He might have a future with Buffalo as an assistant coach in some capacity if he wishes to pursue it. His playing days, however, are likely finished.
The Bills still have enviable depth here, but I think that the only sure things in the defensive secondary are Benford and Johnson. No moves would surprise me as they relate to the other players, as the Bills have a bona fide cap crunch to handle and a coaching staff that excels at developing players in the defensive secondary. While a full-on exodus isn’t what I expect here, there are going to be some changes made in order to make the team cap-compliant.
While I expect that Rasul Douglas is going to be on the roster in 2024, I’m not willing to mark it down as a guarantee. Sure, Brandon Beane didn’t trade a third-round draft choice to roster Douglas for just half a season, but I think there’s another quote of Beane’s that applies to why Douglas isn’t a sure bet to be with the Bills next year. Beane is fond of saying that a team’s last game, if they make the playoffs, will tell them a lot about where they need to improve. Well, the Bills are unable to play man coverage consistently — and given the way the league is trending, that’s problematic against the NFL’s elite. Given Douglas’ struggles in man coverage, he may fall victim to a shift in philosophy and find himself elsewhere if the Bills can’t come to terms with him on a reasonable contract extension that lessens his 2024 salary cap number.
Again, nothing would surprise me here because, as we said with the safeties, the Bills need to be younger and more athletic in the secondary. With Douglas set to be 30 years old, he is neither young nor a plus-athlete. The same thing, then, holds for Tre’Davious White, whose roster spot is also tenuous given his age and recent injury history. White and Douglas alone represent over ten percent of the Bills’ 2024 salary cap space. Of the $26.4 million in cap space these two players are owed, approximately $10.4 million of it is guaranteed to remain on Buffalo’s cap in the form of dead money should the team move on, and that’s all due to White. The Bills could clear $16 million if they decided to release both players. Is cutting productive veterans great for the team’s overall depth? Of course not. Might it be necessary if the Bills can’t find other ways to free that cap space? We’ll have to see.
Siran Neal is the other player where the Bills could shave some cap space if they were looking for a change. Swapping Neal’s $3.4 million cap hit for a smaller number with a new contract for someone like Cam Lewis could be enticing. They could likely re-sign Lewis for something like two years and $3 million, and then they’d still have around $1 million on this year’s salary cap to spend elsewhere.
Opening holes, though, means that the team would need to spend capital — likely draft choices given the tight cap situation — to replace those players. Would the Bills really be comfortable entering a season, say, with a depth chart that includes Benford, Elam, Johnson, a sixth-round rookie, and Lewis? That takes a strong secondary situation in terms of depth and makes it perilously thin.
There really are no easy answers here, and the Bills have some difficult choices to make. I think that, as bad as the personal end of the decision will hurt, the business move to make involves something that will impact Tre’Davious White. Whether the two sides can come to terms on a pay cut or the Bills release him outright, I just don’t see a way that Buffalo can keep him at his current cap number with all he’s been through of late. I hate that this is what I’m typing, but I think it’s the way to go. (Editor’s Note: It was the way the Bills wanted to go, as well).
Douglas is an interesting conundrum, as he clearly played well for the Bills. He was limited by a knee injury against the Chiefs, to be fair, but man coverage has never been his strong suit, and he was an absolutely liability in that loss. The coaching staff trusts him, though, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they worked out a three-year extension with a void year or two to spread out his cap hit.
Buffalo should draft a corner, as well, though I’d prefer that they do it later in the draft. They’ve had enough success in scouting and development in the secondary where I’d trust them to find a player on the third day of the draft who can develop into a contributor. Auburn’s Nehemiah Pritchett, Tennessee Kamal Hadden, Arkansas’ Dwight McGlothern, and Pitt’s M.J. Devenshire are all late-round possibilities who fit the big, athletic mold that the Bills need.
As for adding via the free-agent market, the best player the Bills could likely sign given their cap situation is Dane Jackson. He already knows the defense and he’s proven himself to be a valuable fill-in throughout his tenure with the club. They could take a flier on a young player who hasn’t panned out, like Lonnie Johnson Jr., but cornerback isn’t a position where the Bills can afford to spend a boatload.
The first dominoes to fall will be White and Douglas. Once we know what the Bills intend to do there, we’ll be able to discern the rest of their course. However, until that time, we can assume that the front office will be losing some sleep over what to do with the defensive secondary. They have some big decisions ahead of them.
UPDATE: The front office made those big decisions, parting ways with White and safety Jordan Poyer, mainstays in the defensive secondary since 2017. They also said goodbye to Siran Neal. The Bills then re-signed safety Taylor Rapp and restructured the contract of Rasul Douglas. Change is afoot on defense for the Bills.