Bills veteran safety Micah Hyde returns, signing to practice squad

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo Bills fan favorite and former all-pro is back. Bills head coach Sean McDermott announced Wednesday that veteran safety Micah Hyde has signed to the practice squad.

“Micah Hyde has returned to the team in a practice squad role,” McDermott said. “Just to set expectations, Micah is in a practice squad role. We are fully confident in Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin, Cole Bishop, Kareem Jackson. They’ve all been doing a real good job for us in the roles that they are currently in. They are going to stay in those roles.”

Hyde spent seven seasons with the Bills, earning All-Pro nods in 2017 and 2021. The 12-year veteran was a free agent entering this previous offseason and opted not to sign with another team through the first 13 weeks of the season.

In seven years in Buffalo, Hyde started 95 games, picking off 16 passes and piling up 417 tackles. Hyde was also a team captain.

McDermott reiterated that the signing is in a practice squad capacity and that he is confident in starting safeties Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp. Cam Lewis and Cole Bishop are reserve safeties on the 53-man roster with Lewis Cine and Kareem Jackson on the practice squad as well.

“We’re in a good spot,” McDermott said. “Very confident in the guys who have played there all season long and have both done a nice job. Let’s, number one, make sure everyone understands what his role is right now, and we’ll just see. We’ll take it one day at a time. It’s about the team. It’s always about the team. It’s never about one person and in this case, Micah would not want that to be about, in this case, about him.”

McDermott added that there was no workout for Hyde before he signed.

Just last month, former Bills Jordan Philips and Quinton Jefferson re-signed with the Bills after being waived by the Cowboys and Browns, respectively. Hyde is now the third former Bill to return this season.

“Not surprised when really any of these players come back,” McDermott said. “Players that leave here to go to play for other teams or in this case, not play for another team. They seem to keep pretty close tabs on what we’re doing which is cool.”

“He could go to the bank at the corner and be the president of the bank just as easy as he could be the captain of the Buffalo Bills,” McDermott said. “He just has a unique way about him from a leadership standpoint as to who he is as a person.”

“I’m very protective of that locker room,” McDermott said. “For sure now, but also any time of year. It’s gotta be the right person. The player yes, but the right person based on where this team currently is, not in terms of record but in terms of where they’re at with the relationships and different pieces of the puzzle.”