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Bills expected to address big weakness with imminent trade

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nate Lunak | Last updated Aug 27, 2025 12:30 PM ET

The Buffalo Bills head into the 2025 season with hopes of getting over the hump and winning the franchise's first Super Bowl.

On Tuesday, the team revealed its initial 53-man roster, and one position that immediately jumps out is safety, which features:

27-year-old Taylor Rapp - 59 2024 Pro Football Focus grade, ranked 118th/171 safeties.
22-year-old Cole Bishop - 49.6 2024 PFF grade, ranked 149th/171 safeties.
27-year-old Damar Hamlin - 60.2 2024 PFF grade, ranked 108th/171 safeties.
22-year-old Jordan Hancock - going into rookie season, so no 2024 PFF grade.

Safety Is a Big Concern for the Bills

Last season, Rapp (free safety) and Hamlin (strong safety) took a majority of the snaps at the safety positions, each recording 14 starts.

However, when examining their PFF grades, it's clear that both players struggled, and the Bills could have a problem on their hands if they enter 2025 with the same plan at the position.

When listing bold predictions for each NFL team, ESPN's Dan Graziano addressed the lack of production and even hinted at the front office making a trade to bolster the safety spot.

"The safety position has been a particularly thorny question mark, especially considering how important that position is in coach Sean McDermott's defense. ... Don't be shocked if the front office looks to help them out here in the coming weeks or months with a strategic addition or two," Graziano wrote.

Potential Safety Target for the Bills

It's not often teams trade within divisions, but one safety the Bills could target is Kyle Dugger, who, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, is being shopped by the New England Patriots.

Last season, Dugger had the worst season of his career, earning a 44.3 PFF grade in 13 games, allowing 35 completions, 357 yards, six touchdowns and a 137.4 passer rating on 46 targets. He was ranked 157th out of 171 safeties by PFF.

However, at 29 years old, he still has plenty left in the tank and could come in and add depth or even compete for a starting spot at free or strong safety for the Bills, already having experience playing both positions.

That would be especially true if Dugger can return to his 2023 form, when he was much more productive, starting 17 games, allowing 44 completions, 478 yards, one touchdown and an 82.7 passer rating on 64 targets.

However, trading for Dugger would come with a big risk, as he still has three seasons left on his four-year, $58 million contract. If the Patriots were willing to eat some of that deal, a trade would be much more doable.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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