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USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
30 most important Buffalo Bills players of 2025: No. 9 Connor McGovern
As the Buffalo Bills prepare for the 2025 NFL season, we'll take a look at the most important contributors on their roster. They have a ton of cornerstone players who will be returning for another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Buffalo, and they'll have help from some new additions as well. Leading up to the season, we will be counting down the top 30 most important players on the roster. We'll recap their 2024 season, look ahead to what they'll offer in 2025, and tackle the most pressing questions surrounding them this coming year. Next up on the countdown is Taylor Rapp. Background Position: Center Age at start of season: 27 Experience: Sixnth year 2025 cap hit: $9,385,000 2024 recap Connor McGovern made a successful transition from guard to center in 2024, starting 16 games and making his first career Pro Bowl. He was reliable, allowing zero sacks and committing three penalties while grading as the 12th-best center in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. 2025 outlook McGovern enters the final year of his contract ready to run it back as the full-time starting center for the Bills. He'll be joined by all of the starting offensive linemen from last year: Dion Dawkins, David Edwards, O'Cyrus Torrence, and Spencer Brown. McGovern provides the base to a group which quarterback Josh Allen can trust. Biggest question: What does the future hold? McGovern signed a three-year contract with the Bills in 2023, so he will become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 following this season. What the Bills' plan will be on the interior of the line remains to be seen, as left guard David Edwards' contract also expires in 2026. 30 Most Important Bills of 2025 Check back as we continue to countdown on our list of the 30 most important Bills ahead of the 2025 season. No. 30 DT T.J. Sanders, No. 29 LB Dorian Williams, No. 28 DT Larry Ogunjobi, No. 27 Alec Anderson, No. 26 DE A.J. Epenesa, No. 25 DT DaQuan Jones, No. 24 TE Dawson Knox, No. 23 WR Elijah Moore, No. 22 WR Joshua Palmer, No. 21 S Cole Bishop, No. 20 K Tyler Bass, No. 19 WR Keon Coleman, No. 18 G David Edwards, No. 17 DE Joey Bosa, No. 16 G O'Cyrus Torrence, No. 15 CB Max Hairston, No. 14 TE Dalton Kincaid, No. 13 LB Matt Milano, No. 12 DT Ed Oliver, No. 11 S Taylor Rapp, No. 10 RB James Cook.
USA Today
06-08-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
30 most important Buffalo Bills players of 2025: No. 11 Taylor Rapp
As the Buffalo Bills prepare for the 2025 NFL season, we'll take a look at the most important contributors on their roster. They have a ton of cornerstone players who will be returning for another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Buffalo, and they'll have help from some new additions as well. Leading up to the season, we will be counting down the top 30 most important players on the roster. We'll recap their 2024 season, look ahead to what they'll offer in 2025, and tackle the most pressing questions surrounding them this coming year. Next up on the countdown is Taylor Rapp. Background Position: Safety Age at start of season: 27 Experience: Seventh year 2025 cap hit: $3,666,666 2024 recap Taylor Rapp finally got his chance to shine as a member of the Buffalo Bills in 2024 as Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer both departed prior to the season. He started all 14 games that he was healthy for and he proved to be an important piece of the defense. In 2024, Rapp recorded two INTs, 82 tackles, and a forced fumble. 2025 outlook Rapp is now the leader of the safety room and is helping bring along his new running mate, second-year safety Cole Bishop. They've been working together since early in the offseason. The two have a lot of potential as a duo on the back end of the Bills defense, as they are both multifaceted in their talents and can help the Bills defense expand its disguises and pre-snap looks. They can make plays both in the air and on the ground, and if Bishop lives up to his second-round draft stock, they could be one of the most underrated safety tandems in the NFL this coming year. Biggest question: Will there be an extension after the season? Rapp will be a free agent after the 2026 season, and right now, he is playing on a very team-friendly deal in Buffalo (3 years, $10.6 million). He's an important piece to what the Bills do on defense and he seems like one of the pieces that general manager Brandon Beane would like to get a head start on in terms of an extension. He's still just 27 years old and solidifying the safety position for the next few years would make sense. One expert even considers Rapp the NFL's most underrated at his position. 30 Most Important Bills of 2025 Check back as we continue to countdown on our list of the 30 most important Bills ahead of the 2025 season. No. 30 DT T.J. Sanders, No. 29 LB Dorian Williams, No. 28 DT Larry Ogunjobi, No. 27 Alec Anderson, No. 26 DE A.J. Epenesa, No. 25 DT DaQuan Jones, No. 24 TE Dawson Knox, No. 23 WR Elijah Moore, No. 22 WR Joshua Palmer, No. 21 S Cole Bishop, No. 20 K Tyler Bass, No. 19 WR Keon Coleman, No. 18 G David Edwards, No. 17 DE Joey Bosa, No. 16 G O'Cyrus Torrence, No. 15 CB Max Hairston, No. 14 TE Dalton Kincaid, No. 13 LB Matt Milano, No. 12 DT Ed Oliver.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Blockbuster Trade Pitch Moves All-Pro Safety To Bills In 'Honey' Of A Deal
Blockbuster Trade Pitch Moves All-Pro Safety To Bills In 'Honey' Of A Deal originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The last few years have seen some key investments by the Buffalo Bills in their secondary. Last offseason, Taylor Rapp and Taron Johnson were both locked into three-year deals. Advertisement This time around, the Bills kept Damar Hamlin on a cheap one-year deal and inked Christian Benford to a handsome four-year $76 million deal. They also used their first-round draft pick on cornerback Maxwell Hairston. All these players vary in skill and ability, but represent the Bills' ongoing efforts to maintain a solid secondary in a conference littered with potent passing game threats. This collection of players has mostly been around for the team's recent runs, where they have fallen short. Buffalo wants to end that streak and finally break through this coming season. To do so, it may require a little extra aggression in their roster construction. Since free agency has passed, Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski has offered a blockbuster three-team deal that would help the Bills accomplish that. In this trade, he has the Bills getting New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu and sending tight end Dawson Knox to the Saints while the Atlanta Falcons get Kirk Cousins. Advertisement "Tyrann Mathieu is a New Orleans native and wants to play in his hometown. However, a trade to a perennial Super Bowl contender should be enough to get him on board, even if it's in Buffalo. "The Bills can use the three-time first-team All-Pro all over the field as a defensive chess piece. At 33, he's still a better safety than Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin. Buffalo needs the type of players who can push the team over the top. Mathieu can be one of those individuals." Mathieu clears those players in front of him and also brings a championship pedigree. Mathieu won Super Bowl LIV with the Kansas City Chiefs but has spent the last three years playing for his hometown team. His talent and championship experience are attributes that a team like the Bills is starved for. There's a clear line of reasoning where Mathieu plugs in and immediately upgrades this unit, still plenty capable under Sean McDermott. Advertisement Of course, this trade would require the sacrifice of Knox. Though the Bills are equipped to deal with such a loss, if it means gaining a player of Mathieu's ilk on the opposite side. General manager Brandon Beane has pulled several daring moves in recent seasons, and this one would fall into that category. Mathieu may not be the exact target, but do not be surprised if Buffalo goes on the hunt for a veteran player who can enhance their title chances. Related: Bills Mafia Queen Hailee Steinfeld Flaunts Wedding Ring For First Time This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills Fan Favorite Faces Rumors About 'Training Wheels' Future
Bills Fan Favorite Faces Rumors About 'Training Wheels' Future originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin will always be remembered for his inspirational and dramatic NFL comeback, returning to the game after having suffering cardiac arrest on the field ... and eventually valiantly working his way back into the starting lineup. Advertisement But the veteran safety also wants to be recognized not as just a symbol ... but also as a difference-making starter on a Super Bowl contender. And while he works to achieve the goal ... he might end up looking up the depth chart at the competition once we get to training camp this summer. As our colleague Ralph Ventre points out, predicting who will do what at safety in 2025 is in question as "that position could be one of the most up-for-grabs this summer, with the Bills bringing in several players who will be vying for one open place one the depth chart.'' So here come the rumors of Hamlin losing his job. Advertisement Is that valid? Who's who back there? Taylor Rapp is good to go at one spot. And elsewhere, it is Hamlin competing with second-year safety Cole Bishop and free agency get Darrick Forrest for the other starting job. Writes Ventre: 'The Bills, who played much of the 2024 season with only three true safeties on the 53-man roster, made only one notable addition to the room. They signed former Washington Commanders starter Darrick Forrest, who seemingly fell out of favor with the (Washington) team that drafted him after returning from a 2023 season-ending shoulder injury.'' This is the NFL, so the guy the Bills might wish to win the job is the guy they've invested capital in ... and that would be 2024 second-round draft pick Bishop. Advertisement And what might Bills Mafia want? Hamlin has never quite locked up a first-team job with the Bills. He jumped into the starting lineup as rookie to replace the All-Pro Micah Hyde and he starting 13 games that season before his life-and-death struggle with cardiac arrest. But last year, Hamlin did start 14 games last season while recording the first two interceptions of his career. 'Last year I feel like I was getting the training wheels off of myself in a way,' Hamlin said. 'Just coming back from literally dying on the field to playing again in a significant role, a starting role, playing a full season again for the first time, just feeling myself out … I feel like I had a lot of success on the field.'' Advertisement Valid enough. But to remain a starter? He may need even more success. Related: Bills Mafia Queen Hailee Steinfeld Flaunts Wedding Ring For First Time Related: Will 2025 Be James Cook's Final Year With Bills? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 Buffalo Bills training camp preview: Safety
The Buffalo Bills are moving into their next major offseason phase in due time: Training camp. The Bills will kick off their 2025 training camp on July 23 at St. John Fisher University. As with every offseason, Bills Wire will examine each position group ahead of this pivotal time on the football calendar. Advertisement Our 2025 safety preview can be found below: At the top Bills defensive back Taylor Rapp. The Bills have valued safeties who can play a hybrid type of safety: one who can complete the duties of either a free safety or strong safety on any given play. This helps with disguising coverages. Players may perform most of their snaps from one spot, but the staff emphasizes versatility nonetheless. At this point, Taylor Rapp and Demar Hamlin have the inside track at the top of the depth chart. Each player started 14 games last year. Hamlin registered 89 total tackles and two interceptions, while Rapped totaled 82 tackles and two interceptions. Advertisement Depth chart Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop and Buffalo Bills cornerback Cam Lewis tackle Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace during second half action at the Buffalo Bills divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 19, 2025. Cole Bishop is nipping at the heels of both Hamlin and Rapp. A 2024 second-round draft pick, Bishop went through a bit of a learning curve in his rookie season. 2025 fifth-round draft pick Jordan Hancock will be an interesting player to watch. He can play slot corner or safety, so his versatility may land him a spot on the roster. Buffalo signed Darrick Forrest in free agency from Washington. Forrest saw most of his action on special teams last year. UDFA Wande Owens rounds out the safety room. In 2025... ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 13: Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills tackles Kirk Cousins #8 of the Minnesota Vikings during the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium on November 13, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by) Rapp is one of the hardest-hitting safeties in the league, and Hamlin is reliable and understands Sean McDermott's system very well. McDermott's defensive scheme puts a lot of pressure on safeties. Advertisement For Buffalo, their safeties must limit mistakes for the defense to have a successful season. Many preseason pundits linked the Bills to the safety position ahead of the NFL Draft. There was a concern that the position could use an upgrade. In the end, the Bills brass primarily stayed with the status quo. Still, there's some worry that the unit will have enough athleticism to hang with some of the faster receivers in the game. In addition, their depth is questionable. The hope is that this group will use their game intelligence to keep things under control in the back end. Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde set a high standard for this unit. Hopeful, for the Bills sake, the group will trend toward the standard. This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Previewing the Buffalo Bills' safety position ahead of training camp
