Safety Cole Bishop began all 19 of the Bills’ games in 2025, including two within the playoffs, but he didn’t get through the season unscathed. Bishop recently revealed he underwent a left knee scope within the offseason, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN relays.
The Bills are installing a brand new defensive scheme under first-year coordinator Jim Leonhard, a former NFL safety, but Bishop’s recovery has kept him from getting any practice reps. Nevertheless, the 23-year-old indicated he might be back for training camp in July, per Getzenberg.
The Bills spent the sixtieth overall pick on Bishop in 2024, but the previous Utah standout handled a quadriceps injury during training camp. While that put Bishop behind the 8-ball in his first summer as a professional, he still played 16 games. With Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp getting the lion’s share of labor at safety, Bishop played 32.43% of defensive snaps and logged 40 tackles and two passes defensed during an interception-less season. Pro Football Focus ranked Bishop’s performance a lowly 92nd amongst 97 qualifiers at his position.
Despite his struggles in his first 12 months, the Bills entrusted a starting job to Bishop in his second season. The choice paid off for Buffalo, which saw Bishop live as much as his second-round draft stock. While leading all Bills defenders in snap share (91.14%), the 6-foot-2, 207-pounder recorded 85 tackles, seven passes defensed and his first three picks (he also made a game-sealing INT in a 27-24 wild-card round win in Jacksonville). He gave up a meager 65.6 passer rating on 43 targets, down from 127.4 in 2024, and improved his missed tackle rate from 11.1% to six.6. Bishop made a big jump within the estimation of PFF, which placed him an above-average forty first amongst 91 safeties.
Bishop offered stability behind the Bills’ defense in 2025, but none of their other safeties even played 50% of snaps. Jordan Poyer (43.58%) unexpectedly led the best way after the previous All-Pro returned to the organization for a second stint late last summer. Poyer isn’t any longer on the roster, and as a 35-year-old free agent, he may not play again. Rapp, whom the Bills released in March, can also be still unsigned. Nevertheless, the Bills did re-up Hamlin and produce in three outsiders, first picking up C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone in free agency after which drafting fifth-rounder Jalon Kilgore.
Barring any unexpected developments, Gardner-Johnson will start alongside Bishop when the regular season kicks off in September. Kilgore and Sam Franklin, a reliable special teamer, are strong bets to earn roster spots behind them. If the Bills keep five safeties, signs are pointing to a roster battle between Hamlin and Stone. Regardless, so long as Bishop is healthy, the Bills will count on him to steer the group in his third season.