The Buffalo Bills’ young defender isn’t just breaking up passes — he’s carrying the courage of a man who once fought for his country.
After missing the early weeks of the season with a shoulder injury, the rookie cornerback has quietly worked his way back into Buffalo’s rotation, showing patience, toughness, and a relentless drive that’s earning admiration from coaches and teammates alike.
Dorian Strong, the Bills’ sixth-round pick (No. 177 overall) out of Virginia Tech, has recorded 10 total tackles (9 solo, 1 assist) and 1 pass deflection this season. His steady improvement on the field mirrors the resilience that defines his life off it.
“When I was nine, my mom struggled to make ends meet while my dad was overseas in Afghanistan,” Strong shared. “He lost part of his leg in combat but came home and never once complained. He taught me that real toughness isn’t about hitting — it’s about getting back up when life knocks you down.”
Bills defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said that mindset shows in every drill. “You can feel it — he practices with heart. There’s no ego, just effort. That’s the kind of player who earns respect fast,”
Babich noted.
Strong’s coverage instincts and physical playstyle have already made an impression in Buffalo’s secondary. Head coach Sean McDermott praised his discipline, saying, “He’s a competitor. He’s been through a lot, and that’s what gives him his edge. Guys like that make our locker room better.”
Still developing his consistency, Strong admits the NFL transition hasn’t been easy. But every time he lines up across from a receiver, he remembers where his strength comes from — his father’s resilience.
“Every snap, I think about him,” Strong said. “If he can fight through pain to walk again, I can fight through anything on this field.”
Now healthy and back in rhythm, Strong is poised to keep growing — not just as a player, but as a symbol of quiet determination in Buffalo’s defense.
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After overcoming injury, the Bills rookie pays heartfelt tribute to his father — a wounded Afghanistan veteran who taught him that true strength is found in perseverance.
3 Packers Placed on the Trade Block by GM Brian Gutekunst Despite Impressive Performances
The Green Bay Packers haven’t consistently played their best football, but they hit midseason with only one loss while setting the pace in the NFC. Matt LaFleur’s team has proven its Super Bowl credentials.
However, as general manager Brian Gutekunst often says, roster building is a 365-day challenge. The Packers may make a move before the trade deadline to upgrade the roster, but that would require departures to make room.
Whether it’s by selling at the deadline to recoup some draft capital, which isn’t such a bad idea after sending away two first-round picks for Micah Parsons and a future sixth-rounder to land Darian Kinnard, or just moving on from an underperforming player, these Packers may not last all of November.
These Packers players aren’t guaranteed to remain on the roster in November
Nazir Stackhouse, DL
The Packers hoped rookie Nazir Stackhouse could become an important two-down run-stopper along the defensive line, similar to how they used T.J. Slaton. Green Bay
acted quickly to sign the Georgia product after he went undrafted, and he made the 53-man roster.
However, Stackhouse has failed to make an impact. The rookie’s snap counts reached as high as 27 in Week 4, but he has lost playing time of late, having played only 24 snaps over the past three games combined.
Stackhouse has the Packers’ worst PFF defensive grade. His run defense potential helped earn him a roster spot, but his 37.7 grade in that category is also a team-worst. Stackhouse’s college teammate and Packers sixth-round pick Warren Brinson has moved ahead of him on the depth chart, and he may be fighting to retain a roster spot in the weeks ahead.
Lucas Havrisik, K
This one hurts, but it’s inevitable. Veteran kicker Brandon McManus was humming along nicely early in the season. He missed three kicks in the opening four games, but two were blocked and not his fault. Then he got hurt.
Green Bay turned to Lucas Havrisik, who made every kick with ease and set a new franchise record for booting a 61-yard field goal. Then McManus returned and instantly missed two field goals. Many Packers fans would prefer Havrisik to take the job full-time.
But we can likely forget about that. McManus is the proven veteran, and it’s highly improbable the Packers will move on from him in favor of Havrisik, who has impressed in recent weeks but doesn’t have a consistent NFL record. And they’re not keeping two kickers on the 53, either. It will hurt to see him go, but Havrisik will find work pretty quickly.
Kingsley Enagbare, Edge
Kingsley Enagbare is a valuable backup pass-rusher, but Micah Parsons’ arrival has limited his opportunities.
Parsons, Rashan Gary, and (when healthy) Lukas Van Ness take the lion’s share of the snaps, and the Packers also want to get talented rookie Barryn Sorrell more involved. Many reports indicate Enagbare is
drawing interest at the trade deadline, and the Packers should consider it if they get a decent offer.
Enagbare is a solid pass-rusher and excellent against the run, but he’s also a free agent in the offseason. You can never have enough depth on the edge, but if another team is willing to part ways with a mid-round pick, the Packers may have to seriously consider it.