4 players on Buffalo Bills defense that need a strong minicamp

Mandatory minicamp for the Buffalo Bills starts June 11th, and there are some fascinating things to look for. Most notably on the defensive side of the ball, and which players are going to be starters for this team, or players that could have a resurgence in their career. Let's look at which of these players need a strong minicamp.

4 players on Buffalo Bills defense that need a strong minicamp

Cole Bishop

Cole Bishop is coming into this season as a rookie for the safety room. A room that has been held down by two phenomenal starters since 2017. Now, the path for Bishop to become possibly one of the starters of the future starting this year is not as set in stone as one would imagine.

In this offseason, the Bills extended Taylor Rapp, who already has a year in this system, and they signed Mike Edwards who previously played for the Kansas City Chiefs. With the familiarity of Rapp in this system, and Edwards being a solid veteran, it makes Bishop's path even harder. If he wants to be on the field in Week 1, he's going to have to make his mark starting with mandatory minicamp.

DeWayne Carter

Carter is also coming in as a rookie, but besides the top two guys at his position (Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones) he has a real shot at being that third defensive lineman in the rotation. Granted, the Bills didn't sign Austin Johnson for depth behind a rookie, but it could happen if Carter makes it tough for this coaching staff to choose.

He wasn't a three time captain at Duke for nothing, and with his potential based off his film in college, he could be a force in this league. But right now, he's just a rookie who has to prove it first, and that all starts with minicamp.

Kaiir Elam

The first player on this list who isn't a rookie, and he's one that needs to show out arguably the most. Kaiir Elam has a lot to prove to both this coaching staff and to himself. He was a first-round draft pick in 2022 and has yet to show much in the NFL.

He is a lot like a rollercoaster where he gives up big plays, then he'll make a big play. All within the same game, or in the case of the Bills' latest Wild Card Round against the Steelers, all within a few plays! With the subtraction of long-tenured defensive backs coach John Butler and the hiring of Jahmile Addae for the same role, this could be his chance. He just has to put it together this year, starting with the minicamp.

Von Miller

The perennial Hall-of-Fame defensive player, who has won two Super Bowl rings with two different teams has something to prove for the Buffalo Bills. Von Miller is coming off of his worst season to date, but also this past season he was coming back from a season-ending injury he suffered in 2022.

He did show flashes at the end of the 2023 season of the old Von who was a key contributor in that 2022 season for the Bills before the ACL injury. He has to prove in this minicamp that he can be a solid starter for the Bills in the 2024 season. This could mean a lot for him at the tail end of his career, having much more of an impact this season and however many more seasons he has left in the tank.