Can Jackson & Lewis make up for loss of Norman & Wallace this offseason?

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Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills have a very interesting offseason in front of them at cornerback. To kick it off, they just released E.J. Gaines, who opted out of the 2020 NFL season. Now both CB2s — Levi Wallace and Josh Norman — enter free agency and Buffalo needs to add bodies to the room.

The Bills have two young cornerbacks who showed promise in their time in the lineup in 2020. That doesn’t mean the Bills should count on them as the only option, though.

Dane Jackson started two games and played in five total in his rookie year after being selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He recorded one interception, five passes defended, recovered a fumble, and had 15 tackles in his first NFL season out of the University of Pittsburgh.

Cam Lewis, the former University at Buffalo Bull, was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019 but didn’t see his first NFL action until 2020. He also played in five games, starting the season on the active roster while Norman dealt with an injury. He started two games in October and finished the year with seven tackles.

While both should be part of the mix in the gumbo at cornerback this offseason, neither have proven they are ready to be the full-time starter. When undrafted Levi Wallace took over, he wasn’t the Plan A either. Vontae Davis quit on the team at halftime of Week 2, Phillip Gaines was terrible, and Wallace was the third option.

Buffalo still needs to bring in another entry into the competition, but Lewis and Jackson can and should be counted on as valuable depth that very well could take the next step in 2021 with another offseason and training camp under their belts (assuming that happens in COVID world).

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