Returning to football in any capacity would be a great hurdle for Damar Hamlin, but returning to the Bills starting lineup would be even greater. His perseverance and some unforeseen circumstances have shrunken those odds — and Hamlin is hungrier than ever.
After suiting up in seven games last season, albeit as a special teamer, Hamlin battled through the toughest part of his journey back to football. And now he's ready to compete for a spot in the Bills starting lineup, a position that he held for 13 games during the 2022 season, ahead of his life-threatening injury.
"“Every day was an emotional journey that I just had to push through and thrust myself into, even when I didn’t feel the most confident or the most good..." "[But] I'm a competitor. Competition brings out the best in everyone.""Hamlin at Bills training camp
With longtime safety partners Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer gone, the Bills were in the market to reshape that room this offseason. On top of extending Taylor Rapp, they signed former Kansas City Cheif Mike Edwards to a one-year deal, while also drafting Cole Bishop in the second round of the NFL Draft.
For Hamlin to start alongside Rapp, he would have to put on quite the performance this offseason and that's exactly what he's done so far. Hamlin impressed the coaching staff during spring practices and OTA's, enough so that he started with the first-team defense during the Bills opening training camp practice last week.
Hamlin headlined a three-man rotation between himself, Edwards and Bishop — all of whom are vying for the same job.
But over the past few days, Bills head coach Sean McDermott announced that both Edwards and Bishop are listed as week-to-week with injuries they suffered in practice. And while it's entirely possible they're back in time for the regular season, it was vital for them to get reps in training camp because they're both newcomers to the team — and the Bills complicated defensive system requires its safeties to be strong communicators.
As a result, the team hired 36-year old veteran safety Kareem Jackson to a one-year deal on Tuesday afternoon. They also added some more depth by inking fourth-year safety Terrell Burgess to a one-year deal on Wednesday. But neither of these players understand the Bills system quite like Hamlin.
As mentioned, Hamlin started 13 games for the Bills in 2022 when Hyde and Poyer were suffering through injuries. He finished that season as the Bills third-leading tackler, recording 91 total tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2 pass break-ups.
He was more than a serviceable replacement who likely would have made the Bills roster in 2023, regardless of his story.
The first person who would say that is the Bills new defensive coordinator Bobby Babich, who previously served as the team's safeties coach when Hamlin was drafted by the team in 2021 — and Babich is confident that Hamlin's mind is in the right place.
""Damar's a pro, he's been in this system for a while [and] he knows the expectations..." "He's very conscious of his environment and his surroundings, so he knows what's on the table and my belief is that his mind is in the right place.""Bobby Babich at Bills training camp
While it's still early August and the team has time to decide who they want to trot out as the starting safety with Rapp in week one, don't be surprised if Hamlin is the leading candidate. After all he's been through, it would be a surreal moment for him to line up at safety once again.
And according to the Bills leading decision maker, Hamlin is motivated to make that happen.
""It's to be expected but [there's] an increased focus from a year ago... "He means business.""Sean McDermott at Bills Training Camp