Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane has a history of finding diamonds in the rough in both free agency and in the draft. Since coming over to Buffalo in 2017, he has countlessly acquired players for fantastic value while other teams overpay for players. He is the complete opposite of what Doug Whaley was in the front office.
This offseason, Beane did a phenomenal job of bringing in help this offseason, especially at positions that were in need of improvement. In the secondary, they brought back Tre’Davious White while also drafted Maxwell Hairston, Jordan Hancock, and Dorian Strong.
On the defensive line, the Bills signed Joey Bosa, Larry Ogunjobi, and Michael Hoecht. In the draft, they traded up two times to acquire DTs T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker while also getting a big time steal in edge rusher Landon Jackson. Beane had a vision going into this past offseason and he delivered.
Even though the Bills made a lot of moves to bring in talent of the 2025 season, there is one player that Beane signed that was a major steal (and it’s not Joey Bosa).
Bills got a big-time steal free agent signing in S Darrick Forrest
Chris Trapasso from CBS Sports recently listed five players going into a contract year in 2025 who are set for a breakout season and Bills safety Darrick Forrest was one of those five on the list. Here’s a bit of what Trapasso said about Forrest:
"Forrest is a big-time athlete -- 9.69 Relative Athletic Score -- who flashed early in his career in Washington with four interceptions, nine pass breakups and a whopping 88 tackles when thrust into a starting role in his second season. A coaching change after that year didn't help Forrest's job security, and he started just six games afterward.Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports
He just turned 26 years old and has the range and ball skills to outproduce his relatively cheap one-year deal. The Bills are no longer boasting All-Pros at the safety spot, and don't be surprised if Forrest earns legitimate playing time en route to a breakout 2026 in Buffalo. "
Last season was the first one without the duo of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. That pairing was the best in the league for a long time for the Bills. Now, the Bills have Taylor Rapp, Cole Bishop, Damar Hamlin, and Darrick Forrest in the safety room.
Rapp is a quality starter, but not a long-term solution. Bishop was a second-round pick for the Bills last season who showed signs of great promise down the stretch last season. Hamlin is a fan-favorite who stepped up, but is only set to make $2 million this year if he makes the roster.
As for Forrest, he is a super underrated player that the Bills got absolutely lucky to steal him in free agency. For a one-year, $1.3 million deal, the Bills may have got themselves a true diamond in the rough with Forrest.
Like Trapasso stated, Forrest’s career in Washington got off to a hot start. Then injuries and a new regime change within the organization didn’t do him any favors. Now he will have the opportunity to not just prove that the Bills made a great investment, but to show that he is the best safety on the roster that fans might be overlooking.