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The Buffalo Bills defense has been a menacing unit to play against all season. Their front-seven have been good at generating pressure. Their linebackers are rangy and can cover many types of players.
Most importantly, Tre'Davious White was part of a lockdown secondary alongside Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.
The Bills will now have to regroup after White tore his ACL against the New Orleans Saints. White has been one of the NFL's best cornerbacks every year since 2017.
His loss won't be easy to replace, but the Bills can look at the free-agent market and find some diamonds in the rough. To be contenders, they'll need their secondary to continue being their biggest strength, even without White.
# 1 - E.J. Gaines
E.J. Gaines might not be a popular name amongst NFL fans. But Bills fans will remember Gaines for his play in 2017 when he was a solid starter alongside White. Gaines hasn't played in the NFL since the end of the 2018 season but is familiar with the Bills scheme under Sean McDermott.
Gaines might not have been a turnover-causing machine, but the Bills don't need him to be. Siran Neal and Taron Johnson are solid cornerbacks who will see a jump in playing time. With Neal, Johnson, Hyde and Poyer surrounding him, Gaines will get all the help he needs to adjust to playing for the first time in a few years.
# 2 - Quinton Dunbar
With the Bills in win-now mode, Quinton Dunbar might be a safer pick than Gaines. Dunbar is 29 and is in better game shape than Gaines due to playing every season since 2015.
In 2019, Dunbar was an elite cornerback with the Washington Football Team. A rough 2020 season has kept him out of the league, but Dunbar is a veteran who could still prove serviceable.
In 2019, he earned an 89.5 Pro Football Focus grade in coverage. The Bills have been connected to him throughout the season. He could be on the roster in the coming days or weeks as a result.
# 3 - Brian Poole
In an NFL where cornerbacks are so valuable, it's surprising Brian Poole has been a free agent for as long as he has. Pro Football Focus has graded the 29-year-old highly in the past two seasons with the New York Jets.
Poole is primarily a slot specialist and doesn't play nearly as well on the outside. But Neal and Johnson are capable of playing outside. McDermott is a gifted defensive coach who can properly utilize Poole's skills.
He has bounced around on practice squads this season. But the Bills could give him a legitimate shot at showing the NFL he still belongs here.
