RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sourcesORCHARD PARK — The Buffalo Bills have big plans for Jalon Kilgore. They just don’t have big plans for him right away.
The Bills already had a slew of safeties when they selected Kilgore in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. Three of them — C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Damar Hamlin and Geno Stone — were signed to one-year deals. Kilgore is a long-term option with hopes he can eventually step in as a starter next to Cole Bishop.
Since Kilgore arrived in Buffalo, the Bills haven’t deviated their plan in bringing him along slowly. For most of the St. John Fisher portion of training camp, Kilgore played with the third-team defense, with sporadic snaps with the twos.
Even veteran Sam Franklin Jr. — who didn’t play a defensive snap until the regular-season finale — has consistently been ahead of Kilgore on the depth chart. But that doesn’t mean Kilgore hasn’t impressed, nabbing three interceptions during 11-on-11 sessions of camp.
“They’re starting to notice me being able to make plays,” Kilgore told GNN Sports after practice Tuesday. “I’m starting to understand the playbook, starting to get comfortable in it, starting to learn the guys on the defense, starting to learn the whole defense, learn more NFL football. … So I’m just trying to stick to that and just continue to keep being even more detailed.”
Being patient isn’t something Kilgore has needed to do in his football life. He was the 44th-ranked safety in the country coming out of Putnam County High School in Georgia.
And after signing with South Carolina, Kilgore was immediately inserted into the starting lineup, making 12 tackles as a true freshman against North Carolina in the 2023 season opener. In three seasons with the Gamecocks, Kilgore started 33 of the 36 games he played during his career.
“I’ll just say it’s different,” Kilgore said. “Just having to literally sit back and be on the learning aspect a little bit more instead of being the leader. So just sitting back and learning how to learn and observe and just slow everything down. Just knowing who my opponents are, who I’m going against, what types of routes and formations I’m getting.”
What the Bills are getting is an athlete they haven’t coveted much over the last decade, aside from Bishop. Under former coach Sean McDermott, the Bills relied on safeties with instincts and high football acumen.
Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer were one of the NFL’s best safety tandems, but they were both cast-offs from other teams. Both were converted from another position, either with the Bills or when they reached the NFL.
In an era when players are staying in college longer, Kilgore won’t be 22 until January and stayed at South Carolina for only three seasons. There’s also a lot of athleticism packed into his 6-foot-1, 210-pound body, with a 6-foot-7 wingspan.
Kilgore ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds, had a 37-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-10 broad jump. Now it’s about matching football IQ to his natural ability.
“He’s taken a huge jump, as you’d expect from most rookies from OTAs to training camp,” Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. “Being comfortable in the defense and playing fast, that’s going to allow those physical skills to stand out. … He’s eliminated a lot of mental mistakes he was having early. He’s talented, man.”
So physically gifted is Kilgore that many projected him to be selected in the second round, or at least the third. Even the Bills were surprised when Kilgore was available at the 167th pick.
There were questions about whether Kilgore would be better suited as a safety or a nickelback, where he played in college. In fact, many thought Kilgore would be better to play nickel because he wasn’t an enforcer against the run despite his size.
But general manager Brandon Beane didn’t hesitate to say immediately Kilgore would play safety. Most of the other teams who spoke to Kilgore also viewed him as a safety and South Carolina planned to move him from his hybrid nickel role to safety if he chose to return in 2026.
The Bills met with Kilgore at the combine, brought him in for a top-30 visit, attended his pro day and sent safeties coach Joe Danna to South Carolina for a private workout. While Kilgore’s nickel days might be fleeting, he still wants to learn the position to offer more value to the team.
But Kilgore is thankful the Bills aren’t forcing him to learn both positions immediately. They tried that with 2025 fifth-round pick Jordan Hancock last year and it was a challenge for him, eventually playing exclusively at safety for most of his rookie season.
With injuries to Gardner-Johnson and Bishop, Kilgore is getting sporadic first-team reps now. And because there may not be many opportunities during the season if the starters are healthy, Kilgore should see a lot of playing time during the preseason.
“It makes it a lot easier,” Kilgore said. “Just with understanding everything, just not having so much on me right now … and just being able to take hold and get all of that position and be really locked in at that and be dominant.”
NOTES: The Bills released defensive tackle Kody Huisman and signed cornerback Anthony Kendall. … The former Division III Baldwin Wallace standout played 16 games for the Titans in 2023, but hasn’t played an NFL game since, spending time on practice squads of the Ravens and Browns.
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.