Bills Fan Favorite Faces Rumors About 'Training Wheels' Future
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin will always be remembered for his inspirational and dramatic NFL comeback, returning to the game after having suffering cardiac arrest on the field ... and eventually valiantly working his way back into the starting lineup.
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But the veteran safety also wants to be recognized not as just a symbol ... but also as a difference-making starter on a Super Bowl contender.
And while he works to achieve the goal ... he might end up looking up the depth chart at the competition once we get to training camp this summer.
As our colleague Ralph Ventre points out, predicting who will do what at safety in 2025 is in question as "that position could be one of the most up-for-grabs this summer, with the Bills bringing in several players who will be vying for one open place one the depth chart.''
So here come the rumors of Hamlin losing his job.
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Is that valid? Who's who back there?
Taylor Rapp is good to go at one spot. And elsewhere, it is Hamlin competing with second-year safety Cole Bishop and free agency get Darrick Forrest for the other starting job.
Writes Ventre: 'The Bills, who played much of the 2024 season with only three true safeties on the 53-man roster, made only one notable addition to the room. They signed former Washington Commanders starter Darrick Forrest, who seemingly fell out of favor with the (Washington) team that drafted him after returning from a 2023 season-ending shoulder injury.''
This is the NFL, so the guy the Bills might wish to win the job is the guy they've invested capital in ... and that would be 2024 second-round draft pick Bishop.
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And what might Bills Mafia want?
Hamlin has never quite locked up a first-team job with the Bills. He jumped into the starting lineup as rookie to replace the All-Pro Micah Hyde and he starting 13 games that season before his life-and-death struggle with cardiac arrest.
But last year, Hamlin did start 14 games last season while recording the first two interceptions of his career.
'Last year I feel like I was getting the training wheels off of myself in a way,' Hamlin said. 'Just coming back from literally dying on the field to playing again in a significant role, a starting role, playing a full season again for the first time, just feeling myself out … I feel like I had a lot of success on the field.''
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Valid enough. But to remain a starter? He may need even more success.
Related: Bills Mafia Queen Hailee Steinfeld Flaunts Wedding Ring For First Time
Related: Will 2025 Be James Cook's Final Year With Bills?
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
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