The Buffalo Bills re-signed veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White this offseason to bolster their secondary, but his return hasn’t gone as smoothly as hoped.
White was originally released by the Bills in March 2024 as part of a series of salary cap cuts. He later joined the Los Angeles Rams before being traded to the Baltimore Ravens at the deadline, finishing the season there before entering free agency.
Buffalo brought him back in April, but his role became less secure when the team used its first-round pick on cornerback Maxwell Hairston. Now, White faces additional challenges following some struggles during the team’s minicamp.
Questions Remain Over Tre’Davious White’s Athleticism
According to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, Tre’Davious White appears to have lost a step from his All-Pro days in Buffalo, with lingering effects from major injuries — including a torn ACL in 2021 and a torn Achilles in 2023 — impacting his play.
“The main concern with White is similar to what the Bills saw late last year with Rasul Douglas,” Buscaglia wrote, pointing out that White’s ability to turn and keep up with receivers has diminished, which allowed Bills receivers to find success against him during spring practices.
Despite those concerns, Buscaglia noted that White still performs well in the zone coverages commonly used in Buffalo’s defensive scheme. However, his one-on-one coverage ability may become a liability as the intensity increases in real game scenarios.
Buscaglia emphasized that it’s too early to draw firm conclusions about White’s future but called his situation one to keep an eye on. “It’s not that White can’t work his way back,” he wrote. “It would be premature to count him out after just five practices. But this could open the door for Maxwell Hairston to earn a bigger role if he impresses in training camp.”
White, a 2017 first-round pick, has been a key figure in Buffalo’s secondary for years. He helped the team break its 17-year playoff drought in his rookie season and was part of the core that turned the Bills into a Super Bowl contender following Josh Allen’s arrival.
Competition for Final Starting Cornerback Spot
Tre’Davious White is expected to compete for the starting cornerback role previously held by Rasul Douglas, but he’ll face strong competition from rookie Maxwell Hairston. NFL Films producer Greg Cosell praised Hairston as a versatile cornerback capable of excelling in both man and zone coverage schemes.
“I thought he really understood the requirements of zone coverage — pattern recognition, spatial awareness,” Cosell said. “Every zone has conflict and stress areas, and coaches always talk about trying to minimize those. I thought Hairston showed a great awareness of those areas.”
Cosell also noted that Hairston’s grasp of zone coverage could make him a strong fit in Buffalo’s defense under head coach Sean McDermott, who frequently utilizes zone-based schemes.
