If the Bills want to take the next step in the postseason, it’s their defense that needs to step up in big games. Over their last five playoff losses, they’ve allowed over 33 points per game and it’s a shame considering this has been one of the best units in the league during that stretch.
But for the first time in several years, the Bills finally have cornerback depth. That depth will be tested with Maxwell Hairston dealing with a knee injury, but they have quality players at the top and bottom of the roster. But there is one rookie who is already rising up the depth chart and could get onto the field a lot sooner than anyone realizes.
In a recent article by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, he discussed the cornerback situation for the Bills after a few days at camp. While there is no debate about who the top two cornerbacks are on the roster, there are a handful of players fighting for spots who are having strong camps. One such player is Dorian Strong, a sixth-round pick from Virginia Tech. Here is a snippet of what Breer had to say regarding the talent rookie cornerback of the Bills:
"If (Hairston) is out for an extended period, that could open the door for another rookie, sixth-rounder Dorian Strong. He’s a long, aggressive corner who will at least have a role on special teams. He has also shown he might be able to do more than just that in his first year. Strong is one to keep an eye on, even if Hairston’s not out."Albert Breer, SI
Strong is another big and long cornerback who should fit Sean McDermott’s defense well. He has a lot of experience coming out of college with 44 starts and 53 total appearances during his time at Virginia Tech. He is an outside cornerback prospect, and that’s where he has lined up primarily during camp so far. While we won’t know for sure how Strong’s development is going until we get to the preseason, the fact that he is already creating so much buzz is fantastic for a team dealing with the injury bug, as of late.
Keep a close eye on Strong throughout the preseason as he should see plenty of snaps for Buffalo in the next month. And if he can continue to keep up the positive momentum, it wouldn’t be a complete shock if he challenged for starting snaps sooner rather than later, especially if Hairston misses a significant chunk of time.