The Buffalo Bills are ruling out safety Jordan Poyer and will now have Damar Hamlin make his 2023 season debut, which would mark his first game since his scary injury, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport.
Hamlin hasn't played a game since Jan. 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football when his heart stopped beating on the field. He did appear in a few preseason games but wasn't set to become the starter until the Poyer injury, and now he is ready to let his game speak for itself.
The Bills will be playing the Miami Dolphins in a must-win game between the AFC East rivals. The Dolphins hope to stay undefeated, and the Bills want to prove they still have what it takes. Hamlin will have to perform at the top of his form if he wants to be considered a good safety, because the Dolphins have been demolishing opponents and hope to do the same this week.
Bills injury update: Damar Hamlin to make debut vs. Dolphins
In 2022, when on the field, Hamlin wasn't the best player, finishing with a PFF grade of 61.4, meaning he is just a league-average safety. But with the Dolphins coming off a 70-20 win over the Denver Broncos, they must be ready for a battle and must guard against Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
After his first preseason game, Hamlin said, "I want to be here. I wanna play, I want to do good. I want to be one of the greats. I wanna be remembered as somebody who stood for something and who made a difference when I was out there on the field."
After such a serious injury, many get too scared to play the same type of aggressive way again, but not Hamlin. Instead, he chooses to use this as a strength to improve.
"I honestly couldn't imagine not being a part of this," Hamlin said.
He is ready to help the team move forward as he continues to get healthier.
