If there was one area that the Buffalo Bills had excelled in for a long time during the Sean McDermott era, it was having one of the best safety duos in the league with Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. That duo didn’t just help with the turnaround of the franchise, but they played some of the best football that fans saw.
However, all good things eventually come to an end and the Bills needed to identify who would take over the safety room moving forward. Two years ago, the Bills drafted a safety out of Utah in Cole Bishop who took a nice big step forward in the second half of last year’s season.
What really helped him was having Poyer on the field with him, who was able to mentor him and show him how to improve his game. As the season went on, fans saw a different version of Bishop to where he was much better against the pass, and he elevated himself even more as a run-stopper. Now, fans are expecting him to grow even more. However, it isn't just fans thinking that.
Former Bills player gives massive prediction about Cole Bishop for 2026
Former Bills center Eric Wood, who hosts the Centered on Buffalo podcast, recently spoke with Bishop about a variety of topics which included Bishop's feelings about playing in the new Highmark Stadium.
Wood reposted one of the posts during the conversation with Bishop, and he believes that Bishop will be "regarded as a top 5 safety in the league after this season."
Honestly, I think Cole after this season will be regarded as a top 5 safety in the league after this season. https://t.co/c4zTiCcQnu
— Eric Wood (@EWood70) July 23, 2026
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of top safeties in the league. At the same time, why couldn’t Bishop reach that level? From Week 9 and on last season, fans saw a different version of Bishop that showed a more confident player who played smart football. He had two consecutive games with an interception, and he also had five games where he had 7 total tackles in each game from Week 8 and on.
Going into this season, Bishop enters a crucial year because after this season, the Bills will need to decide whether they should extend him, or take the risk of letting him play out the final year of his rookie deal without a new contract.
Now with the addition of C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Bishop will be able to build up some intensity and this duo could easily be one of the best in the league. As long as he stays healthy, Bishop may not just be a Pro Bowler, but he could very well earn All-Pro honors as well.
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