Sean McDermott already misses Bills' cornerback lost to Texans in Darius Slay saga

The Buffalo Bills lost a four-year cornerback on waivers to the Houston Texans while being snubbed by Darius Slay

Sep 23, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Ja'Marcus Ingram (46) breaks up a pass intended for Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) in the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills spent resources developing cornerback Ja'Marcus Ingram from undrafted signee into reliable reserve, only to lose him to the Houston Texans on waivers.

In order to claim veteran cornerback Darius Slay, the Bills created a roster spot by releasing Ingram and exposing him to the waiver process. By the time Slay snubbed Buffalo, the Texans already scooped up Ingram.

On Friday, Bills' head coach Sean McDermott appeared annoyed that Ingram was no longer in the building.

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"It’s unfortunate that that unfolded and went down the way it did. I'm a huge JaMarcus Ingram fan and will always be," said McDermott. "I'm always gonna be in his corner and want the best for him. That's really where my mind is right now and getting myself ready to coach this game."

Ingram's history with Bills

Coming out of UB, Ingram earned a rookie minicamp tryout with Buffalo following the 2022 NFL Draft. He parlayed the audition into a 90-man roster spot, managing to stick around ever since.

Sep 12, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Ja'Marcus Ingram (46) runs the ball for a touchdown after intercepting a pass from Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1, not pictured) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The 28-year-old Ingram made 29 regular season appearances for the Bills since 2022, including all 17 games during the 2024 campaign. His lone career start came Week 2 last season when he made two interceptions, including a Pick 6, in a 31-10 road win over the Miami Dolphins.

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This season, Ingram has been a healthy scratch on multiple occasions. He logged 63 defensive snaps and 76 special teams reps over seven games.

Sep 8, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Ja'Marcus Ingram (46) breaks up a pass intended for Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch (4) on fourth down to effectively end the game at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Bills' active cornerbacks

Christian Benford

Tre'Davious White

Maxwell Hairston

Taron Johnson

Cam Lewis

Dane Jackson (practice squad)

Te'Cory Couch (practice squad)

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