I wouldn't have considered corner a position of need a week ago, even with Dane Jackson pending free agency. However, since Tre'Davious White's release, the cornerback room suddenly looks a little thinner. Add to that the possibility of Jackson signing elsewhere, and now the team is two less in that room. We have also heard speculation that the Bills could answer their safety needs by moving one of the corners, such as Christian Benford or Rasul Douglas.
I don't see Buffalo moving any of the corners on the roster to safety at this point. I think releasing White sealed the deal on that idea. No, I think instead they will look to free agency for their next starting safety opposite Taylor Rapp. Brandon Beane will need to find some depth for the cornerbacks now though. The top three are currently Rasul Douglas, Christian Benford, and Kaiir Elam. And many fans are not sold on Elam either. He is healthy now and essentially getting a fresh start with a new coach, so hopefully it works out for him.
Regardless, I see Beane reaching into free agency to add some depth, rather than drafting another rookie corner. Then again, the Bills have found some talented rookies at the corner position with guys like White, Levi Wallace, Dane Jackson, and most recently Christian Benford. The book is still open for me when it comes to Kaiir Elam. I'm not ready to call him a bust just yet. But Beane may look to a rookie corner again to fill some depth. But if he doesn't, there are some solid free agent options.
Three free agent cornerbacks the Buffalo Bills could sign in free agency,
Dane Jackson
The easy button here is simply re-signing Dane Jackson. He's not great, but he's not bad either and you could certainly do much worse as a backup. He knows this team, the roster, staff, and defensive scheme. He's a player you can trust to know what he's doing on the field and understands the game. I realize he may not have all the physical traits, but in a pinch, he's a solid corner.
2023 wasn't a particularly good season for him, especially against the run. His 29.3 Pro Football Focus grade against the run was the worst of his career; however, in his first two seasons, his grade was over 75.0, so he's been good there. Maybe 2023 was a down year for him. For the season, he gave up 22 receptions on 31 targets and a passer rating of 102.8.
Shaquill Griffin
Shaquill Griffen played with both the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans last season. He has 79 career starts and while he isn't known for grabbing only seven interceptions in his career, he's been a solid corner. He's not afraid to get in the middle of the fight and make some tackles too, with 366 career tackles. He's also a former Pro Bowler, getting voted in 2019.
In 2023, he allowed 30 receptions on 47 targets and a passer rating of 82.5 when targeted, which is better than Jackson's 102.8. His overall grade of 67.0 from Pro Football Focus isn't very good but he's been a decent corner in this league for several years and would be a terrific backup that would add solid depth to the Bills secondary.
Levi Wallace
I don't think too many fans would get overly excited about this option, but we're looking for depth and not a CB1 here. The money is thin too, so the Bills won't be high-end shopping. Levi Wallace knows this staff for the most part and the players. I'm sure the defense will be a little different from what Wallace remembers of his previous stint with the Bills but it's still Coach McDermott, so there will be similarities too. The one thing I see that could make this deal difficult is Wallace will probably be looking for a place where he can start and that's not in Buffalo.
Wallace didn't have a very good season last year and struggled particularly against the run. He totaled 39 tackles and earned a Pro Football Focus grade of 42.8 against the run. His coverage was better but still not that great either. He had two interceptions all season and allowed 39 receptions on 71 targets. He allowed a passer rating of 100.6 when quarterbacks threw his direction. For the cost and familiarity, I think Wallace would be a nice addition to Buffalo.