Which Bills' Safety Should Replace C.J. Gardner-Johnson in Starting Lineup?

In a somewhat surprising move, the Buffalo Bills decided to shake the roster up on Tuesday evening by releasing veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson after just seven games of the 2026 campaign after originally bringing the boastful defender on board via a one-year deal in free agency on March 12 that was worth up to $6 million.

237 days later and fresh off a one-game suspension, Gardner-Johnson finds himself looking for a new NFL home and the Bills are in search of a new starting safety to pair with third-year defensive back Cole Bishop.

Last week against the Baltimore Ravens it was sixth-year veteran Damar Hamlin who earned the nod alongside Bishop, but fellow veteran safety Geno Stone also saw time on the field and played quite well in limited action.

Buffalo Bills' defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard chats with players during the second day of Buffalo's training camp. — Buffalo Bills' defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard chats with players during the second day of Buffalo's training camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford, New York, on Thursday, July 30, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

So what is the best plan of attack moving forward for Buffalo’s first-year defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard?

Let’s scour through the candidates.

Damar Hamlin

Damar Hamlin might not be flashy, but he’s the definition of consistent.

In spite of all of the hardship that he’s endured since that fateful day in Cincinnati, Ohio, at Paycor Stadium on Monday Night Football in January of 2023, Hamlin has never wavered in his return to the gridiron.

And, it’s led him to possibly once again regaining a starting defensive spot for a Bills’ squad currently sitting atop the AFC standings entering Week 9 of the 2026 NFL season.

In 2022 and 2024—the two seasons he previously started a majority of Buffalo’s games—Hamlin tallied 180 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, seven pass deflections, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery while starting in 17 of the 19 games he appeared in during the regular season.

Buffalo Bills' safety Damar Hamlin stands on the sideline during a past NFL game. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As for this year, Hamlin has recorded 23 total tackles and one pass breakup while appearing in seven games with two starts.

And, after tallying 16 total tackles in a more prominent role over the past three weeks, the 28-year-old defensive back appears to be odds-on favorite to start the remainder of the season.

Geno Stone

Veteran Geno Stone was an interesting addition to Buffalo’s roster earlier this offseason after joining the team almost immediately following the signing of the previously mentioned Gardner-Johnson in March.

The questions surrounding the addition weren’t due to a lack of experience or track record from Stone, but rather the repetitiveness of adding a second player at the safety position at the time.

Now, though, it seems as if it was a smart move by Bills’ general manager Brandon Beane to bring Stone on board.

After being called up from the practice squad on Sunday due to a “numbers game”, Stone wound up playing 19 defensive snaps against the Ravens and posted a team-high six tackles to go along with one tackle for loss and one pass deflection, which actually led to an easy tip-drill interception by rookie cornerback Davison Igbinosun.

Buffalo Bills' cornerback Davison Igbinosun runs with the ball after an interception while safety Geno Stone blocks in front. — Nov. 1, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills' cornerback Davison Igbinosun (21) runs with the ball after an interception while safety Geno Stone (25) blocks in front during the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Does Stone have warts to his game? Sure. But, he seems dependable and was in the right place at the right time more often than not against the Ravens, which led to him being named the top-ranked defender for Buffalo in the matchup according to Pro Football Focus.

That type of reliability and innate ability to make a play on the ball—which is evidenced by his 14 career interceptions—is exactly what Jim Leonhard’s youthful defense needs right now on the backend.

Jalon Kilgore

Rookie safety Jalon Kilgore had a lot of fanfare amongst Bills Mafia after being selected by the team at pick No. 167 in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and for good reason.

The versatile defensive back had plenty of production for the South Carolina Gamecocks’ defense during his three collegiate seasons, and his stellar combination of size (6-foot-1, 210 lbs), speed (4.40-second time in the 40-yard-dash), and overall athleticism (10-foot-10-inch broad, 37-inch vertical) is something that Buffalo could use more of in the secondary.

Eventually, Kilgore should take over as the long-term starter opposite Cole Bishop, but will that begin to take shape sometime this season?

Maybe not.

Buffalo Bills' safety Jalon Kilgore breaks up a pass intended for Las Vegas Raiders' wide receiver Tre Tucker. — Oct. 18, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Buffalo Bills' safety Jalon Kilgore (29) breaks up a pass intended for Las Vegas Raiders' wide receiver Tre Tucker (1) in the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kilgore has only appeared in two games so far this regular season after struggling with injuries in the summer months, and he was just inactive once again for the matchup against Baltimore.

It’ll be interesting to see if the rookie starts seeing more opportunities now that Gardner-Johnson is out of the picture.

Te’Cory Couch

Out of all of the possible outcomes, this may be the least likely . . . but should it be?

A former UDFA signing of Bills following the 2024 NFL Draft, Couch has been on Buffalo’s practice squad over the past two seasons, but was recently signed to the active roster ahead of the game against the Ravens.

And, in the absence of the injured Dee Alford, Couch started in the slot at nickel cornerback for Buffalo, playing 71% of the team’s defensive snaps.

The 27-year-old performed admirably in the role, too, as he finished tied for second on the team in total tackles with a total of five while only allowing one reception in coverage according to PFF.

Bills' defensive back Te'Cory Couch intercepts a pass intended for Cleveland Browns' wide receiver Gage Larvadain. — Aug. 22, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills' defensive back Te'Cory Couch (33) intercepts a pass intended for Cleveland Browns' wide receiver Gage Larvadain (84) during the second half of a preseason game at Huntington Bank Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Given his recent performance in a starting role, it’s possible that Couch takes over that spot for Alford permanently as the calendar turns toward the middle of November, but the idea of shifting him back to safety—an area he experimented with in training camp and the preseason—is also intriguing.

Bills ON SI mentioned Couch as a player who earned the right to a 53-man roster spot before final cuts were made back in August, and that’s proving to be the case now in November.

Trade Acquisition?

Buffalo Bills' head coach Joe Brady (right) speaks with general manager Brandon Beane at training camp. — July 29, 2026; Pittsford, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills' head coach Joe Brady (right) speaks with general manager Brandon Beane during training camp at St. John Fisher University. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Could Brandon Beane make a swing for some help in the secondary before next Tuesday’s trade deadline?

Possibly.

And, with that in mind, Bills ON SI has covered several options on the market leading up to November 10.

However, as it stands right now, Bills Mafia shouldn’t hold their collective breath for a move to be made.

“Big Baller Beane” may have permanently switched to "Bargain Bin Beane” at this juncture.

The verdict is in . . .

Buffalo Bills' defensive back Damar Hamlin returns the ball after an interception during first-half action of preseason game. — Buffalo Bills' defensive back Damar Hamlin returns the ball after an interception during first-half action of a Bills' preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium on Aug. 27, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Ultimately, the direction that Buffalo decides to go in the absence of Gardner-Johnson could go several different ways: clearly.

But, at the moment, it would seem prudent for the Bills to stick with what worked against the Ravens.

Yes, the total defensive output may have been slightly skewed due to the quarterback the team ended up facing on Sunday, but the smoothness of the overall operation seemed to be much better than it had been prior to the bye week.

So, for that reason—as well as the ones mentioned above—some sort of platoon between Hamlin and Stone seems to be the recipe for success moving forward.

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