The Buffalo Bills could turn to a familiar face to provide some help after losing cornerback Tre White to a season-ending injury, an insider suggests.
White suffered a torn ACL in the Thanksgiving night win over the New Orleans Saints, leaving a massive hole in Buffalo’s secondary. While head coach Sean McDermott is expected to stay within the team to find White’s immediate replacement, the Bills could look to free agency to provide depth, and a former member of the team’s practice squad could be waiting.
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Bills Looking for Secondary Help
ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg broke down the potential solutions for the Bills now that their All-Pro cornerback is lost for the season. Dane Jackson, a seventh-round pick last year, will likely take over White’s spot opposite Levi Wallace, she noted. Jackson played against the Saints after White went down, with the Bills defense holding New Orleans to just one touchdown during that stretch.
“I thought he did a good job,” McDermott said of Jackson after the game. “He’s been in that position before in terms of having to come in, whether it’s been for Tre or for Levi [Wallace], and he usually handles himself well just like he did tonight.”
The Bills can look to their practice squad to provide depth behind Jackson and Wallace, but Getzenberg noted that the team could also turn to a familiar cornerback — Daryl Worley, who was originally drafted by the Carolina Panthers when both McDermott and Bills general manager Brandon Beane were with the franchise and spent time with the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders. The Bills signed Worley to the practice squad late last season as well.
She also suggested that the Bills could take another look at free-agent cornerback Quinton Dunbar, who the Bills brought in for a workout earlier this season but did not sign.
The Bills will have some extra time to figure out how to patch any holes created by White’s injury. After the Thanksgiving win over the Saints, the team has 11 days to prepare for a critical AFC East matchup, hosting the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football.
Losing White a Major Blow to Bills Defense
Losing White will not only hurt the Bills on the field. The fifth-year cornerback has been an important presence in the locker room, well-liked both by teammates and the Buffalo community.
“Obviously, Tre’Davious is a huge playmaker for us, and just his presence on the football field is unmatched,” said safety Micah Hyde, via ESPN. “And so, hopefully he’s healthy and it’s tough to come back home and not be able to finish the game. … Knowing Tre’Davious, he’ll bounce back whatever it may be.”
Bills quarterback Josh Allen said that the team has been taking White’s injury hard, noting that his strong work ethic made a big impression on teammates.
“I know all the guys in the locker room are praying for him and hurting with him,” Allen said, via ESPN. “You can’t say a single bad thing about that man. He comes in and busts his a** every day.”
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