Orchard Park, NY (WGR550) - My 2026 State of the Bills series continues with a look at the safeties.
Under contract:
- Cole Bishop
- CJ Gardner-Johnson
- Jalon Kilgore
- Sam Franklin
- Damar Hamlin
- Geno Stone
- Wande Owens
Cole Bishop and CJ Gardner-Johnson will walk into training camp as the unquestioned starters here.
After a rookie season that included several injuries and some inconsistent play when called upon, Bishop took a major step forward last season. He became a bright, young, rising star on a defense with several aging veterans. He did, however, miss all of OTA‘s and minicamp this year after “having something cleaned up in his knee” as he described it. He said he will be ready for training camp.
After talking to him - and hearing him - this offseason, Gardner-Johnson is as interesting a personality as advertised. He’s confident, energetic, and loud. And he doesn’t shy away from any of those labels. He’s been on five different teams over seven seasons and won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024. He’s collected 20 career interceptions, including leading the league with six in 2022. A true ball-hawk new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard will pair with Bishop, who can be moved around.
The Bills drafted Jalon Kilgore in the fifth round this year. He could be the ultimate type of chess piece Leonhard is looking for in his new scheme. At 6’1”, 211-pounds, Kilgore has the ability to play down in the box against the run, and even slide in as a bigger nickel cornerback when needed. He led the SEC with five interceptions in 2024. Leonhard will most likely find some ways to get him on the field and defense based on matchups, but he’s certainly going to be expected to be a major special teams contributor, something he did quite a bit of at South Carolina, even returning twelve punts over three seasons.
Speaking of special teams, Sam Franklin showed exactly why the team signed him as a free agent last offseason when he stepped right onto the field and into ball carriers who were returning kicks. Franklin finished the season with twelve total special team’s tackles, including nine solo tackles, which led the team.
Once again the Bills brought back Damar Hamlin on a one-year deal. While Hamlin does not provide the high athleticism and big-play ability, he does give them veteran stability and depth in case of injury as he heads into his sixth NFL season.
Hamlin may be in competition to make the club with fellow veteran Geno Stone, who is entering his seventh season, spending the last two with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he collected six interceptions in that time. Stone finished second in the entire NFL with seven picks in 2023 while with the Baltimore Ravens.
Wande Owens showed some interesting flashes of athleticism and playmaking last year during off-season work and training camp, but was injured late in preseason and spent the year on Injured Reserve. He’ll be back this year to fight for a roster spot or, at the very least, a job on the practice squad once again.
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