Bills Fan Favorite Predicted to be on Roster Hot Seat originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

It wasn’t that long ago when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was seen looking almost lifeless on the field in Cincinnati during a late-season contest in 2022. His recovery from cardiac arrest and his return to the field has been an inspiration for the entire country.

Hamlin is a fan favorite for the Bills. While he isn’t the best safety in the league, he has been a serviceable contributor for Buffalo over the last few years.

The Bills need more, though. That is why Hamlin is going to be competing with other players like former second-round safety Cole Bishop for playing time in 2025. As things currently stand, it appears Bishop is the front-runner for the starting job.

Which leaves Hamlin in a very difficult situation.

NFL.com’s Eric Edholm wrote an article Wednesday predicting a player from each team that was going to be on the hot seat this year.

For Buffalo, he chose Hamlin.

“The fact that Hamlin started 14 games a year ago is a testament to his mental and physical strength,” said Edholm. “But the Bills appeared open to Cole Bishop winning the job a year ago, and they might be even more so now — even after re-signing Hamlin this offseason.”

The NFL has always been a business. Fan favorites are quickly cast aside if the chance to find an improvement is made. For Hamlin, the Bills already see a potential upgrade along their roster.

It seems out of character for the Bills to release a fan favorite like Hamlin, but if the safety wants to continue playing in Orchard Park, the veteran needs to stand out over the next month.

Beating Bishop out of a spot may be Hamlin’s only way to stay on the roster.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.