All signs from the Bills point to their No. 2 cornerback battle during training camp to be between Levi Wallace and Dane Jackson. Not only have coaches and general manager Brandon Beane touted both this offseason… actions do speak louder than words.
Buffalo has yet to add another player to that offseason competition so one can point to that as a reference for how the Bills feel about those two.
Still, that hasn’t stopped Bleacher Report from thinking otherwise. With training camp still a few week away at the end of July, B/R made some predictions for the top-remaining free agents still unsigned.
Regarding former Steelers cornerback Steve Nelson, B/R thinks the Bills will land him:
The Bills don’t seem to be tied to Levi Wallace, so no one should be surprised if the front office makes a strong move for Nelson, who hasn’t allowed a completion rate above 59 percent in any of the past three campaigns.
After adding rookie defensive ends Greg Rousseau and Boogie Basham, Buffalo can improve its 13th-ranked 2020 pass defense with an upgrade at cornerback. The Bills must make strides in that area if they plan to even the playing field against the Kansas City Chiefs’ high-powered attack in a potential playoff matchup.
While not highlighting Jackson at all, he is a player that needs to be mentioned by B/R. Beane specifically has praised him multiple times throughout the offseason. He will be a serious contender for playing time.
Still, Nelson is an established vet in the NFL and could certainly be an upgrade for Buffalo’s defense. Additionally, the Bills were reportedly interested in Nelson in May.
With Nelson, the Bills would be approaching a player that was graded a 67.1 overall by Pro Football Focus in 2020. The would rank as the football analytics outlet’s 40th best cornerback in the NFL last season.
Nelson was released by the Steelers this spring in a salary cap move.
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