Bills’ secondary defense ranked among NFL’s elite heading into 2024 season

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes and the Buffalo Bills’ deployment of a solid secondary defense.

That’s been the norm in Western New York since Sean McDermott took over as the team’s head coach for the 2017 NFL season. The sideline boss, himself a former safety who rose through the coaching ranks as a defensive back specialist, has coached a ragtag group of Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, EJ Gaines and rookie Tre’Davious White to elite production in his first season, with Buffalo’s safety tandem, in particular, establishing itself as one of the best in the league.

Hyde, Poyer and White would serve as the foundation of the defensive secondary for most of the next decade, with the defense finishing in the top six against the pass in four of the last six seasons. Prolonged continuity at any position group, especially the defensive secondary, is rare in the NFL, and reality caught up with the Bills this offseason; the team parted ways with its stalwart defensive backs, all of whom missed significant time due to injuries in recent seasons.

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There’s no major cause for concern regarding Buffalo’s defensive backfield for the 2024 season, though. With McDermott’s ability to coach defensive backs and general manager Brandon Beane’s knack for unearthing overlooked secondary talent, the unit should be stingy again this fall. Former third-round pick Christian Benford and 2023 trade deadline acquisition Rasul Douglas are expected to fill the cornerback spots after doing so admirably down the stretch of the 2023 campaign, while Taylor Rapp, who was with the team last season, should step into one of the starting safety roles alongside Mike Edwards or rookie Cole Bishop.

There are question marks at 30,000 feet, but they are vastly overblown; Benford and Douglas are a proven, if underrated, duo, while McDermott’s track record alone should perhaps be enough to give the Western New York faithful confidence in Buffalo’s safety group. That sentiment was reflected in a recent Pro Football Focus article ranking the NFL’s defensive secondary from best to worst heading into the new year; writer John Kosko put the Bills in third place, with particular praise for the team’s cornerback group.

“The Bills quietly returned three cornerbacks who produced coverage grades above 81.0 last year: Christian Benford (83.3), Rasul Douglas (81.8) and Taron Johnson (81.0),” Kosko wrote. “With the release of longtime starter Jordan Poyer and the uncertainty surrounding Micah Hyde’s playing future, the Bills will rely on Dee Delaney and Taylor Rapp at safety, but both players have been effective.”

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Johnson is a player who often gets overlooked in the sideline conversation due to the unique role he plays within Buffalo’s defense, but his importance to the unit can’t be overlooked; the elite nickel back makes the defense function as intended, his prowess in coverage and willingness against the run making him a quasi-linebacker the Bills rarely take off the field. Benford had two interceptions and 10 pass deflections last year while Douglas had four catches after arriving from Green Bay; with Benford on the rise in each of his two professional seasons and Douglas entering a contract year, it’s fair to expect their production to increase even further next campaign.

There are still some question marks at safety, but the team has immense confidence in Rapp’s return; McDermott already seems to have him pegged for a starting role, recently telling reporters that the 26-year-old has “established himself from a leadership standpoint.” We’ll dismiss the idea that Dee Delaney is in a position to start alongside Rapp, as the offseason depth player is, at this point, fifth on the roster behind Edwards, Bishop, Cam Lewis and Damar Hamlin; regardless, the Bills have options, with Bishop, in particular, part of their long-term future.

Buffalo’s ranking on the list is fair and supports the argument that rumors of the unit’s demise in the face of offseason renewal may be overblown. Hyde and Poyer, both 33, have both missed time the past two seasons due to respective health issues, while White has missed the vast majority of the past three campaigns due to serious leg injuries. Their departures, while significant, may not be the death knell some anticipate. Buffalo has solid, proven succession plans in place, and with McDermott still leading the unit, there’s little reason to expect a significant dropoff in quality.

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