Bills’ Current Starter Appreciates Helpful Old Safeties Hyde and Poyer

The Buffalo Bills acquired cornerback Rasul Douglas at the NFL trade deadline last year and immediately placed the former third-round pick as the starting cornerback in Sean McDermott’s defense.

With no time to acclimate, Douglas made an immediate contribution to a Bills unit that lost Tre’Davious White to an Achilles tear. In nine regular season games, he had four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 1.0 sack.

The instant success was not only a product of Douglas’ abilities, but also the presence of veteran safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.

“Last year, quietly, last year, I just came in and I just listened to what Micah and Po were saying, honestly. They just looked at me and just said ‘you can jump some’ , and I did it.” Douglas said after last week’s minicamp practice. “Everything, they just made it simple for me.”

Hyde and Poyer helped Douglas with alignments and allowed the hawking cornerback to take risks when the time was right.

“Last year, I didn’t know what the others were doing. I just know Po told me I had this person, so I kept that person,” Douglas said.

After seven wonderful years together, Hyde and Poyer no longer patrol the Buffalo secondary. The latter joined the Miami Dolphins on a one-year contract while Hyde, 33, is still undecided about his playing future.

Without two former All-Pros to lean on, Douglas is working to become more independent in the defensive system he was thrown into midway through the 2023 season.

“Now I’m kind of learning what the linebackers do, what the D-linemen do, where I’m going to get my help from and all that kind of stuff,” Douglas said.