When the Buffalo Bills decided to go out and bring in two safeties in C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone, a lot of fans had thought that the Bills were truly going in a new direction on the backend of the defense. However, the Bills are still keeping well-known ties with a player that has been with the organization that will now get his third contract from the Bills.
The Bills reported that they have agreed to a one-year deal with safety Damar Hamlin. He will now be back in Buffalo to join a room that features Gardner-Johnson, Stone, and Cole Bishop and he will be looking to compete for a roster spot.
3️⃣is staying in Buffalo!
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) March 27, 2026
We have signed S Damar Hamlin to a one-year deal: https://t.co/USOa4Kvwqd pic.twitter.com/L4Zbur49Be
Bills sign Damar Hamlin to third contract with organization (and fans are surprised)
The Bills drafted Hamlin in the 6th round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and has had some valuable playing experience in his tenure with the Bills. The 2022 season is where he really got to show Bills Mafia what he could do where he recorded 91 total tackles and even had 1.5 sacks.
Hamlin would then gain valuable playing time in 2024 where he was a full-time starter where he had 89 total tackles and even recorded his first two career interceptions with the Bills. Last offseason, Hamlin was brought back on a one-year deal and he did end up making the final roster going into Week 1.
However, he was limited to just five games due to a pectoral injury he had in the middle of the season.
When Sean McDermott was fired by the Bills in January, it signaled a start of a new look at One Bills Drive, and that included the roster as well. Especially since the Bills had already signed Gardner-Johnson and Stone to contracts, a lot of people thought that Hamlin would not fit in the team’s vision moving forward. Well, the Bills are bringing him back and it might even just be to compete in camp.
At the same time, Hamlin keeps a little continuity on defense but he should not be a starter for the Bills in 2026 if he does indeed make the roster. The Bills need aggressive playmakers and while Hamlin has shown some plays that raised some eyebrows, he hasn’t been dynamic. With the scheme that Jim Leonhard wants to run, it will be interesting to see how Hamlin fits into it.