Buffalo Bills NFL Draft: Is Jamien Sherwood the answer for big nickel?

It was reported by The Draft Network’s Justin Melo that the Buffalo Bills were one of 20 teams to meet with Auburn safety Jamien Sherwood. The interest from the Bills makes sense, especially with the news this week that long-time back-up Dean Marlowe was leaving the Bills to sign with the Detroit Lions.

The departure of Marlowe does create a need to add another safety to the roster to back up starters Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde as the only other two safeties currently under contract are Jaquan Johnson and Josh Thomas.

Sherwood is an experienced safety who played in 34 games over three seasons at the University of Auburn. He would finish with 140 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, one interception, and 10 passes defended.

As Melo notes, Sherwood has tremendous size, and at 6’2″ and 220 pounds he could develop into a linebacker in nickel sets. While Melo mentions linebacker, for the Bills he could play what is called the big nickel.

The Buffalo Bills spend a significant number of their defensive snaps in the nickel formation and the past two years it is something that Taron Johnson has played. However, one of the areas the defensive struggled with last season was covering tight ends as played like Travis Kelce, Mike Gesicki, and Jonnu Smith had big games against the Bills.

This is something that the coaching staff will need to focus on this season, especially considering the moves the New England Patriots made to bring in Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry in free agency.

While pass coverage isn’t his strongest area, he has enough size and athleticism that he should be able to stay with tight ends in the NFL. This would give the Buffalo Bills coaching staff more flexibility when determining personnel and finding the right players to slow down opposing offenses.