BUFFALO, NY. (WKBW) — After getting their brakes beaten off against the Chicago Bears Sunday, the Buffalo Bills have a wide range of questions to answer before the regular season starts.
Anytime you lose 38-0 in a game, regardless of whether it's preseason or not, the fault certainly doesn't fall on just one individual or individual group. That being said, arguably the main storyline we gathered from Chicago is that the Bills might have a problem at the safety position.
Cole Bishop and Damar Hamlin both looked overmatched on the opening drive of the Bears, which eventually ended in a 36-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Caleb Williams. Bishop has been dealing with a quad injury that has left him "limited" in practice, and that lack of reps seemed to be prevalent in his performance.
"I wanted to get him some more reps; he needs more experience; he needs more reps. That's where you work out some of these things, and that's how you build those calluses; it comes from experience," Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott said after the game. "There's nothing more important than the experience he got tonight."
McDermott added that Bishop was on a snap count of roughly 10–12 plays, giving more time to Damar Hamlin and depth options to slide into the rotation.
With Bishop being the projected starting safety opposite Taylor Rapp, the ongoing injury battle and reduced snap counts won't put minds at ease that he'll be ready to go when the Baltimore Ravens come to Orchard Park to kick off the regular season in September.
Behind Bishop, Hamlin and Rapp, you have Cam Lewis, along with free agent Darrick Forrest and 2025 pick Jordan Hancock. Hancock sustained a shoulder injury Sunday night, Forrest has not flashed starting potential and Cam Lewis is better as a utility in the secondary who can bounce around, creating an issue if Bishop can't play or needs time to sit behind someone while he gets fully healthy. Who's going to push him out for the starting job?
The Bills face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Saturday, with the hope that they can flush out some of those issues and concerns that have carried over from their time in Chicago.
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