ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills began addressing their secondary needs by re-signing Taylor Rapp to a three-year contract extension on Friday, days before he was eligible to become a free agent.

The 26-year-old Rapp will now have the opportunity to take over a starting role after spending much of last season as a backup behind the veteran tandem of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. Buffalo released Poyer on Wednesday as part of a major salary cap-related purge of players, and Hyde is contemplating retirement after completing the final year of his contract.

Rapp signed with the Bills in free agency last offseason after spending his first four NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, where he played at various secondary positions.

In Buffalo, he had the opportunity to familiarize himself with the defensive system while also being used in a hybrid safety/linebacker role to account for season-ending injuries to linebacker Matt Milano and cornerback Tre’Davious White. Rapp finished with one interception and a forced fumble in 16 games, including four starts last year.

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