PITTSFORD, N.Y. (WKBW) — For the Buffalo Bills, almost every starting spot on the defense is accounted for except one position. We know Tre'Davious White will start at cornerback but who will start opposite him?
Right now three players seem to be fighting for that other starting spot, two newcomers and a starter from last season. Levi Wallace returns to the Bills defense after a rookie season that saw him go from undrafted to starting the final seven games.
“I feel a lot more comfortable out here, one with the playbook and the communication with my teammates," Wallace said. "You’ve got vets in the back with Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, so just having guys like that who are real mature and look forward to look for in the meeting rooms as well so it makes it a lot easier on the field.”
In the offseason the Bills brought in Kevin Johnson and EJ Gaines and the two have provided some healthy competition at that cornerback position.
“Whenever the whole group is playing well everybody is elevating together so it just makes everyone play at a high level,” Johnson said.
All three players say healthy competition is a good thing. Gaines, Johnson, and Wallace all have NFL experience but say the only way to get better is to feed off each other.
“We’re all friends on the field and off the field. You know we hang out, we talk ball and we talk just like normal so I think the competition really just brings the best out of everybody as far as the competitor in you," Gaines said. "That’s really how I made my career, just competing every time I get a chance so every opportunity I’m out there I’m trying to compete and teach these young guys to do the same thing.”
"I think we’ve got a funny group, a focus group, a hardworking group, a talented group," Johnson said. "We just got to come out here and have fun, work hard and make plays.”
The cornerback battle picks up on August 8th as the Bills play in their first preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts.
