Buffalo Bills rookie watch 2024: Can Cole Bishop fill big shoes at safety?

The Buffalo Bills addressed a big need at safety with the selection of Cole Bishop with the No. 60 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.  The big question heading into training camp is whether the Utah product can replace Jordan Poyer and possible fill the void left by Micah Hyde if he decides to retire.

While the decision of Hyde is up in the air, the Bills drafted themselves a player who can play all over the field.  Speed, versatility and toughness summarizes the 6-foot-2, 206-pound Bishop who along with Taylor Rapp will be depended on to replace the production of Poyer and Hyde…even if Hyde returns to the Bills for another season.

Cole Bishop brings versatility and toughness to Bills' secondary

In Bishop the Bills are getting a player who allowed just 14 catches on 27 targets during his last season at Utah. Like Hyde, he is a big-time tackler who, again, has the versatility and athleticism to fly all over the field.  He’ll need to improve on his ability to defense the run, but in all the Bills have an interesting young player who already knows what his expectations are in Buffalo.

“They want their safeties to do a lot,” Bishop said back in early July.  “I think my versatility is something that kind of separates me, so being able to go to a team that you’re able to be versatile is huge.  So I think I’m going to be able to excel as best I can.”

With any rookie, the question will be how quickly Bishop can adjust to the NFL.  So, far in training camp he looks like the real deal, but he will benefit with having a veteran like Hyde around to learn behind.  He will have Rapp, Damar Hamlin and Mike Edwards to compete with, but it is something about having an All-Pro like Hyde around to learn how to be an impactful player in the secondary and take over games at time.

In all, that is a lot to put on a young player in his first year, but the Bills rookie seems ready for the task, and he has the confidence of former Alabama head coach Nick Saban behind him.

“I think this guy is what people are looking for to play safety because the safety has to guard somebody at some point in time,” Saban said.  “People run empty, there’s four wideouts.  He can do that.  He can play in the box.  He’s tough.  He’s a good tackler, but he’s athletic enough and fast enough to play man too.”

There are those word again.  Versatility and toughness will be Bishop’s trademark as he grows into his role in the NFL and eventually help fill those huge shoes of Poyer and Hyde.  Can he do it?  Yes, the potential is there, but expectations in year 1 is just for him to be solid and do what is necessary to help the Bills’ defense recover from the hits they have taken in the offseason.