One Bills' Position Battle That Just Took Unexpected Turn at Training Camp

Multiple variables have already emerged as the closely-watched safeties competition plays out during the early portion of Buffalo Bills' training camp.

After establishing himself as the early favorite to win the starting safety job alongside 2024 second-round draft pick Cole Bishop, the uber-energetic Chauncey Gardner-Johnson suffered a calf strain during an August 1 practice.

As a result, Gardner-Johnson will miss an unspecified amount of time, but it's nowhere near the season-ending Achilles tear that some on-lookers initially feared.

"We're fortunate. Anytime you see a lower body extremity injury, in the manner in which some of those happen, there's always a bad possibility with it, but we got good news," said Bills' first-year head coach Joe Brady prior to Monday's practice. "We'll see how his body recovers. As you guys know, with his personality, he's in a good place, and so, excited for him when he's ready to practice, he'll be back out here."

CJ Gardner-Johnson — Jul 29, 2026; Rochester, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills safety C.J Gardner-Johnson (22) speaks with the media after a training camp session at St. John Fisher University. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the Bills, however, are best equipped to endure an injury at any position, it would be safety due to the sheer experience that exists in the room.

"It's an extremely deep group. When you look, coming out of the offseason, you see how deep, just with experience," said Brady.

Veteran Damar Hamlin has made 27 starts for the Bills, including 14 in 2024 when Bishop battled through an injury-plagued rookie year.

Free-agent addition Geno Stone, who started every game for the Cincinnati Bengals over the past two seasons, has 85 career appearances to his credit. In 2023, he led all NFL safeties by making seven interceptions for the Baltimore Ravens.

In what was the final non-padded 11-on-11 session on Monday (fulls pads come on tomorrow), Hamlin was the first safety out there along with Bishop.

The Jason Kilgore variable

Prior to the Gardner-Johnson injury changing the dynamic of the position competition, rookie surprise Jalon Kilgore already began shaking things up.

Although he hasn't appeared to get many, if any, first-team reps, the late fifth-round draft pick has made multiple plays during multiple practices.

Kilgore, a three-year starter for South Carolina, made two notables pass breakups in coverage during the Bills' July 30 practice. Then, he came away with two interceptions two days later.

Jun 9, 2026; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills safety Jalon Kilgore (29) trains during Buffalo Bills Minicamp. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"A group like that, just taking advantage of all the reps. It's good to get Kilgore reps, kinda getting going. We're fortunate to have that. It allows us to be able to play three safeties and have different type of personnel groupings. We're fortunate with that," said Brady.

Simply put, the Bills were fortunate on multiple fronts when it comes to the safeties position this week.

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