PITTSFORD, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills safety Cole Bishop is only worried about one thing at the start of his rookie season.
“Just keeping the main thing the main thing,” Bishop said. “You’re worrying about moving out here, figuring out what you're gonna do but like none of that matters if you're not doing football, doing good in football.”
Bishop, a second-round pick in this year's NFL draft, joined a safety room this offseason without the leadership of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. The duo spent seven seasons together in Buffalo as one of the best tandems in football.
“There were guys that did it great for a really long time and they're looking for people to continue to do the same thing and make progress from them,” Bishop said. “So there’s a high expectation there.”
The expectations for Bishop though are higher than ever as the safety position battle ramps up at training camp in Pittsford. However, rookie or veteran, the former Utah Ute is keeping his priorities straight.
“Whether I was with the ones or the threes or whatever, I’m holding myself to a standard,” Bishop said. “I think that’s the biggest pressure, just trying to do my best. If that happens to be competing for the starting job or whatever that is.”
The versatile six-foot-two rookie safety brings a new level of speed and toughness after allowing just 14 catches on 27 targets during his last season at Utah.
“I’d say I’m just a competitor,” Bishop said. “Whatever situation I'm in or what job I'm fighting for, I'm trying to compete and be the best at my position.”
That mindset is now helping Bishop prepare to fill some pretty big shoes in Buffalo this upcoming season.
“I’m just tryna go day-by-day and really just focus on my job and try to do that to the best of my ability," Bishop said. "Go bills.”
The Bills resume training camp at St. John Fisher University on Thursday at 9:45 a.m.