The Buffalo Bills are reloading to make another run at the Super Bowl in 2025, but they're going to have a tough time getting past arch-nemesis Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs if they don't address one of their boundary cornerback spots.
The Bills are in great shape on one side with Christian Benford, who was rewarded with a huge extension this offseason. But the team has yet to replace Rasul Douglas, who remains available on the open market.
As it continues to look like Douglas won't be brought back, Pro Football & Sports Network's Mark Stolte believes Buffalo will opt to replace Douglas with former Minnesota Vikings cornerback, Shaquill Griffin.
"The Buffalo Bills struggled heavily last season in the defensive backfield," Stolte wrote. Both Christian Benford and Taron Johnson are really good players, but the play falls off a cliff after that. Johnson played 67.5% of his snaps from the slot, whereas Benford played 89% of his from out wide. This means the Bills need to target a reliable veteran corner who plays primarily out wide. With only five million left in cap space (second-least), you unfortunately can’t turn to someone like James Bradberry IV. With a current APY of just under $4.5 million, Shaquill Griffin is a solid Buffalo free agent candidate. Griffin was a well-above-average (46th/222) run defender and average in coverage. Pairing him with a corner in the draft would do the trick of shoring up a glaring weakness for the Bills."
A former third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks, Griffin became one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL during his time there. He was a Pro Bowler in 2019 and eventually landed a $40 million deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Unfortunately for Griffin, he wasn't able to recapture the glory of his 2019 campaign in the years that followed, but he did see a resurgence of sorts with the Vikings in 2024.
Griffin posted the best coverage numbers of his career last year, giving up a completion rate of 54.4% and a passer rating of 75.8. Granted, he played a part-time role (50% of snaps), but those numbers are vastly superior to Douglas' and Dane Jackson's, Buffalo's free-agent addition who is currently slated to start.
Griffin only made $4.5 million with the Vikings last season, and even if his price goes up slightly, the cap-strapped Bills should have no issue fitting him in, which makes him an even better fit.
While Griffin isn't likely to offer a long-term solution at the position as he prepares to turn 30, he'd be a strong bridge option until the Bills figure something out for the long haul, which they could do during the 2025 NFL draft.
