Bills Roster Needs: A Look at Their Defensive Backs
Levi Wallace may not be a fan favorite, but the Buffalo Bills coaches love the No. 2 outside cornerback, who was thrust into the No. 1 role when Tre'Davious White suffered the first major injury (ACL) of his career last November.
He played better than adequately until the entire defense collapsed in an overtime playoff loss at Kansas City, where we at Bills Central contend that faulty schemes had much more to do with the implosion than faulty players.
Nevertheless, a serious possibility for the Bills this year is taking a cornerback in the first round of the NFL Draft. That would be regardless of whether Wallace, who is due to become an unrestricted free agent at the start of the new league year, re-signs.
If he doesn't, the Draft likely becomes more crucial, and the Bills are almost certain to find a quality starter without having to move up from their starting point at No. 25 overall.
Either way, upgrading through the draft would make more sense than pursuing a free agent this year because the Bills won't have as much money to spend after rewarding quarterback Josh Allen with a $258 million contract last summer and because this year's draft is widely believed to be loaded with good cornerback prospects.
The Bills also might want to start planning for life without safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, hard as that inevitability may be to face. Hyde turned 31 last month and Poyer will turn 31 in April.
What it means is that they're closer to the end than the beginning.
Yet both could be extended with back-loaded deals that lessen the collective salary cap hit for as long as they continue to play and won't carry huge dead-money penalties if they are jettisoned down the road.
But cornerback is the position they're most likely to address at or near the top of the Draft.
A capsule look:
Expiring contracts
CB Levi Wallace, S Siran Neal.
Realistic 1st-round targets
Auburn CB Roger McCreary, Washington CB Kyler Gordon, Washington CB Trent McDuffie, Cincinnati CB Ahmad Gardner, Georgia CB Derion Kendrick.
Sensible free-agent targets
CB Kevin King, CB Kyle Fuller, S-LB Keanu Neal, CB Ahkello Witherspoon.
Notes: Neal is an interesting player because of the way Dallas used him as a linebacker last season. Maybe he could be a hybrid for the Bills and fill the void that could be created if third LB A.J. Klein departs in free agency. ... Witherspoon, 26, may be too expensive after producing three interceptions in nine games in his one and only season with the Steelers and holding up well against the run despite never being a high-volume tackler.
Bills 2022 NFL Draft picks
Round Selection
1 25
2 57
3 89
4 126
5 166
6 184
6 203
7 228
7 243
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.
