The Buffalo Bills found a steal at the 2023 trade deadline, landing cornerback Rasul Douglas from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for third- and fifth-round draft picks.
Douglas went on to start 23 games for the Bills over the following season-and-a-half, becoming an important part of a defense that helped the Bills reach the AFC Championship game last season.
The Bills may now need to find a replacement for Douglas, who has hit free agency with no indication he will return to Buffalo. One NFL analyst predicted Douglas will jump to an NFC contender, leaving the Bills with a hole in their secondary to fill.
Rasul Douglas Could Return to the NFC North
Though Douglas struggled at times in coverage for the Bills, he was a steady presence in the secondary. He made a total of 88 tackles over 24 games, with a particularly big impact in 2023 as he made four interceptions including one he returned for a touchdown.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox noted that Douglas is the site’s top-ranked free agent still available, noting he could be a quick study with a new team.
“The 29-year-old also has a history of quickly adapting to new defensive environments. He latched on with the Green Bay Packers in 2021 and immediately made a difference. He did the same after being traded to Buffalo in 2023,” Knox wrote.
Knox suggested the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be interested but also pegged the Detroit Lions as contenders. The Lions lost a starting cornerback and will likely need a steady veteran to help fill the hole.
“The Detroit Lions should also give Douglas a look. Detroit has added the likes of D.J. Reed and Rock Ya-Sin to its cornerback room this offseason, but it lost Carlton Davis and dealt with defensive depth issues a season ago,” Knox wrote.
Bills Could Add Youth to the Secondary
While the Bills found a breakout star in sixth-round cornerback Christian Benford, they will need to add another player to fill in for Douglas.
Chad Reuter of NFL.com predicted the Bills would make a big move in the draft, trading up in the first round to take Florida State cornerback Azareye’h Thomas with the No. 24 overall pick.
“Buffalo moves up to secure Thomas’ 6-1 1/4, 197-pound frame, giving up their two fourth-round selections to Minnesota in the deal, ” Reuter predicted. “The Vikings could stay put and take a defensive back themselves, but they currently only have four selections in this draft, so adding two early Day 3 picks might be worth the risk of moving down the board a bit.”
The Bills may also need to make a decision on Benford, who is headed into the final year of his rookie contract. Bills general manager Brandon Beane hinted that the team is looking to re-sign Benford to an extension this offseason.
“One of the funnest joys is when you get to re-sign one of the guys that you drafted and developed,” Beane said, via SB Nation’s Buffalo Rumblings. “That’s much more fun to me than going to free agency and paying someone that you haven’t been around. You have to do it, it’s a necessary part of it to fill some holes prior to the draft, but those names that we’ve gotten done so far this offseason — [Khalil] Shakir, TB [Terrel Bernard], Greg Rousseau that’s what it’s about.”
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