Buffalo Bills S Sam Franklin Jr. gets starting reps during Monday’s practice
· Yahoo Sports
When Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson picked up an injury during Saturday’s training camp practice, Bills Mafia held its collective breath. Gardner-Johnson has quickly won over Bills fans, and many believe he’s just what the doctor ordered on defense. Though we’re just into Week 2 of training camp, the thought of losing Gardner-Johnson left people concerned about the team’s depth.
Of course, Gardner-Johnson’s injury turned out to be a lower leg strain, mercifully ending some fans’ doom-and-gloom “worst-case-its-his-Achilles” sessions. Yet that doesn’t necessarily mean Gardner-Johnson will be running at his typical full speed in the next week or perhaps a bit longer if the team is extra cautious.
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With Gardner-Johnson on the mend, it’s opened up opportunities for the other safeties behind Cole Bishop and CJGJ on Buffalo’s roster. In discussing the Bills’ potential depth chart for the 2026 NFL season, many saw rookie safety Jalon Kilgore as the one most likely to play the role of a first reserve. Kilgore came into the 2026 NFL Draft with a fair bit of hype where some projected him to be selected in Round 2. With that, fans as well analysts alike were enamored with Buffalo’s selection of Kilgore in Round 5. Some are on record saying Kilgore could end up among the Bills’ most productive rookies from the 2026 class — this season and beyond — thanks to his freaky athletic traits and abilities and despite a large sampling of on-field tape.
Then came Monday, August 3. Instead of Kilgore claiming those starting reps, veteran safety and special teams ace Sam Franklin Jr. was in to replace Gardner-Johnson. It’s an interesting development, to say the least, where a bigger-bodied safety known for special teams leaps over highly touted younger players and other steely vets — those many viewed as locks to see the field first. Recall, One Bills Drive did make Franklin a free-agent priority this past offseason, agreeing to terms with him on a three-year contract.
It’s important to remember two things: 1 — it’s training camp (and it’s still early), and 2 — the defense is now led by an entirely new set of coaches. Where before certain players may have held favor in Sean McDermott’s court, now the board has reset itself. That means truly renewed opportunities for everyone at all defensive positions. Sure, the new coaches are going to have their guys, but there’s less written in pen these days on defense than in anytime over the prior nine seasons.
For all we know, defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard could have someone different from the safeties room starting in place of Gardner-Johnson each day of practice. If Leonhard knows one thing it’s safety play, so his instincts should be given a fair bit of initial trust. If that holds true, allowing each of the safeties to get extra reps will likely benefit the depth of that room overall.
While Franklin getting featured work at safety is indeed noteworthy, one can expect that his valuable but unsung role on special teams will keep him plenty busy during the season if all goes according to plan.