When Sean McDermott signed linebacker Terrel Bernard and defensive end Greg Rousseau, he might not have known there would still be one piece missing. The Bills were often praised in 2024 for having one of the best offensive lines in the league, allowing just 14 sacks on Josh Allen. But what about the defense? To fill that final gap, McDermott has turned his attention to Baltimore.

Yes, we’re talking about the (now former) Baltimore Ravens cornerback. Bills reporter Sal Capaccio reported Thursday: “The Bills are re-signing CB Tre’Davious White, confirmed via a league source (first reported by @AdamSchefter). Sean McDermott’s first-ever draft pick (2017) is back in Buffalo one year after being released and spending time with the Rams and Ravens.” To make this seven-figure U-turn official, the Bills signed White to a one-year, $6.8 million deal—bringing a familiar face back to Buffalo.

As the reporter said, it was Sean McDermott’s first-ever draft when he entered the Bills organization in 2017. It was his first draft, and he handpicked Tre’Davious White as a 27th overall in the first round. The other players of the same class the Bills picked up were Zay Jones (37th overall), Dion Dawkins (63rd overall), Matt Milano (163rd overall), Nathan Peterman (171st overall), and Tanner Vallejo (195th overall). 

Tre’Davious White spent seven years with the Bills. Then the Bills traded their favorite cornerback to the Los Angeles Rams in 2024. After a while, the Ravens also traded him mid-season to the Baltimore Ravens. But after making 16 solo tackles in 2024, he made Sean McDermott notice him again. And it’s worked. 

The former LSU Tigers CB has made a total of 333 tackles in his eight-year NFL career. His career has seen the worst ACL tear in 2021. But even after that, he stood still. And now, he will be helping the Bills to get their defense correct, which was not even in the top 15 of defense rankings. 

However, while making the $6.8 million deal with Tre’Davious White, the Bills and Sean McDermott decided to make a strong roster move. They have removed two players from the roster while inducting White.

Sean McDermott’s two roster subtractions 

The Buffalo Rumblings of SB Nation reported that on Thursday, April 17, the team announced two player transactions. The team released defensive tackle Branson Deen and waived tight end Armani Rogers due to a non-football injury.

Branson Deen completed his one-year, $840,000 deal with the Bills. The team had signed him as an undrafted player in 2024 to a three-year contract worth $2,840,000. However, they have decided to release him. Deen played in just one game during the 2024 season. And that was facing the Houston Texans in Week 5. However, he did not record any tackles.

In the case of Armani Rogers, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon on March 4, 2025. The team’s decision to release Rogers stemmed from his incomplete recovery this season. According to CBS Sports, “The reserve tight end’s road to recovery could be made more difficult by the fact that he previously suffered a torn Achilles in May of 2023.” While with the Washington team, Rogers tore his Achilles on May 24, 2023. He was out indefinitely. The road ahead will be tougher for the 27-year-old.

The Bills and Sean McDermott have cleared space on the defensive side of the roster. It will be exciting to see which draft prospects and free agents they sign. They will aim to defend the team and make it into the playoffs again. But this time, stronger than in 2024.