Find out where the Buffalo Bills safeties rank in the AFC East.
With training camps set to open in a couple of weeks, our tour of the AFC East positional rankings finally comes to an end with the rankings of the safeties. Like the cornerback rankings, the safety position looks to be for the Buffalo Bills and the other teams in the AFC East, one of the best in the entire NFL.
The safety position is one of the most difficult positions to play in all of football. Some of the most legendary players to have ever played the position cemented themselves as the enforcers causing numerous turnovers and made wide receivers afraid to come across the middle in an attempt to catch a pass. Some of those guys included Steve Atwater, Troy Polamalu, John Lynch, Ronnie Lott, and Ed Reed. Every Sunday, each one of these guys were captains on the field and put all their heart and soul into each game they played.
A player has to have certain traits to be considered an effective free or strong safety. Instincts and intuition are key in anticipating an opponents next move. On top of that, a safety must have a combination of strength, speed and the ability to match up well in pass coverage. Along with the ever growing evolution of the pass happy NFL, players who can cover the deep half of the field is also important.
It is no surprise that, heading into 2020, 3 out of the 4 safety tandems in the AFC East are ranked in the Top 10 by Pro Football Focus. Taking into account the situation with Jamal Adams and the New York Jets, this list is based on the assumption that he will still be on the New York Jets roster.
Safeties should get more respect and with offensive coordinators constantly adapting to a new style of NFL, these guys cannot be undervalued. This is how each team in the AFC East ranks when looking at their starting safeties.