Washington Commanders safety Darrick Forrest runs onto the field prior to the Commanders' game against the Atlanta Falcons. Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Bills' newcomer could surprise in secondary

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated May 29, 2025 9:28 AM ET

The Buffalo Bills have a lot of changes in their secondary as they hope to shore up one of their weaker position groups from a year ago.

One of those alterations was the addition of former Washington Commanders defensive back Darrick Forrest, who signed with the team back in March.

CBS Sports writer Chris Trapasso believes Forrest can have a strong under-the-radar season with the Bills.

"Forrest is a big-time athlete -- 9.69 Relative Athletic Score -- who flashed early in his career in Washington with four interceptions, nine pass breakups and a whopping 88 tackles when thrust into a starting role in his second season. A coaching change after that year didn't help Forrest's job security, and he started just six games afterward," Trapasso wrote.

"He just turned 26 years old and has the range and ball skills to outproduce his relatively cheap one-year deal. The Bills are no longer boasting All-Pros at the safety spot, and don't be surprised if Forrest earns legitimate playing time."

With Micah Hyde not on the roster for the first time since 2016, someone in the Bills secondary is going to have to step up, and Forrest is a candidate to be that player for Buffalo.

Forrest will be competing alongside Damar Hamlin for playing time at the free safety position, and there's a chance he could wrestle the starting job away from him if he performs well during OTAs and training camp.