Even if they end up making the playoff run that fans are hoping for, the Buffalo Bills are going to need to take a long look in the mirror in the offseason. This team has fallen short of the consistent dominance that was expected of them heading into the season, largely due to shaky play from the back half of the defense.
Safeties Cole Bishop and Taylor Rapp have been subpar, especially against the run. They've become arguably the biggest weakness on this team, allowing opposing offenses to take advantage in key situations.
With Rapp still on the books for the 2026 season, the Bills have an obvious decision to make.
Bills have a clear Taylor Rapp decision to make in the offseason
Rapp was placed on the Injured Reserve in the middle of the season due to a lingering knee issue. The ailment has kept him sidelined since October. Even before he went out, he was a problem at the back end of Sean McDermott's defense.
He was having the worst season of his career, missing tackles at an alarming rate and consistently falling a step behind in coverage. His pursuit angles against the run were horrific, often allowing ball carriers to turn would-be minimal gains into long touchdowns.
These trends were surprising to see from the veteran, as he's been a sound defender for most of his career. Clearly, there has been a major dip in his performance. Whether it's because of the knee issue or not, it's likely time for the Bills to move on from the 28-year-old.
Rapp still has one year left on his contract. He's set to make a little over $4 million in 2026, but the Bills can save $3.3 million against the salary cap if they choose to release him during the offseason. While it's not a huge amount of money relative to the cap, it's the logical move to make for a team in desperate need of improvement at the safety position.
Buffalo will be working with small financial margins in 2026, as they're set to have just over $5 million in available cap space before extending any players. Letting Rapp go wouldn't shift their entire financial situation, but it could help give them the flexibility they need to make key improvements to the roster. General manager Brandon Beane will have some difficult decisions to make in the offseason. This shouldn't be one of them.