Getty Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin captured the hearts of football fans when he fought his way back from a frightening injury, then used his newfound fame to help improve on-field safety for players at all levels.
But capturing a spot on the team’s final 53-man roster could be another challenge for the third-year safety, one insider writes. Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News addressed Hamlin’s roster situation, noting that he could face a battle with a handful of other veterans in a crowded position.
Hamlin Needs to ‘Earn’ His Spot
As Skurski wrote, the Bills likely won’t be giving much special consideration to Hamlin for the ordeal he endured last January, when he collapsed on the field following a hard hit in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hamlin had to be revived on the field and then spent several days in the hospital before starting a long recovery process.
When it comes to shaping the final roster, the Bills will be judging almost entirely by his performance on the field, Skurski wrote.
“My opinion is Hamlin will want to be treated like any other player, meaning he’ll need to earn a spot on the 53-man roster the same way his teammates will,” he wrote. “Given what he went through last season, however, it would be foolish to think that might not have some impact on the Bills’ thinking.
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin brought his Chasing M’s Foundation CPR Tour to Cincinnati on Saturday. The event was held at UC, and Hamlin said he was grateful for everyone coming out to learn CPR. He also helped pass out AEDs to attendees.
“Hamlin’s story generated international attention, and the work he has done since then to encourage CPR training has been inspirational. Is that alone enough reason for the Bills to keep him on the roster? This might come across as cold and insensitive, but I don’t think it should be.”
Skurski added that the Bills will need to see what kind of shape Hamlin is in as training camp starts on July 26, and it could be a possibility for him to start the season with an injury designation that keeps a roster spot free.
Hamlin is coming off a strong season, moving into a starting role after injuries to Hyde and Poyer. He finished the season with 91 total tackles, the third-most on the team behind only linebackers Matt Milano and Tremaine Edmunds.
The Bills have shown strong support for Hamlin through his recovery, with head coach Sean McDermott saying in March that the team respected whatever decision the 24-year-old made about his playing future.
“The best thing we can do is support him all the way through this, and that is a big piece of it that is, mind, body and spirit,” McDermott said. “It’s just not physically like, hey, in the weight room, it’s the mental piece as well.”
Plenty of Competition at Safety
After the Bills’ season came to a close with a loss to the Bengals in the playoffs, there were many questions about what the safety position would look like in the coming season. All-Pro Jordan Poyer was headed to free agency and had made a number of statements hinting that he would leave, and Micah Hyde was coming off an injury that wiped out close to the entire season.
The uncertainty has since faded, with Poyer re-signing and the Bills adding veteran Taylor Rapp in free agency. As Skurski noted, safety is now one of the team’s deepest positions and could leave Hamlin competing with several others for just one remaining spot.
“It’s possible Hamlin is competing for just one spot if we assume Poyer, Micah Hyde and Rapp are the top three,” he wrote. “That means he’ll need to beat out Zayne Anderson, Dean Marlowe and Jared Mayden.”