PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills added depth to their retooled safety position by signing Kareem Jackson to a one-year contract on Tuesday.
The 36-year-old Jackson has 14 years of NFL experience, and split a suspension- and fine-filled season last year between Denver and Houston. Selected by Houston in the first round of the 2010 draft, Jackson spent his first nine seasons playing cornerback before making the shift to safety after signing with Denver in 2019.
In Buffalo, Jackson has the potential of shoring up a safety position in transition following the offseason free-agent departure of Jordan Poyer and with Micah Hyde still unsigned and contemplating retirement. The two spent the previous seven seasons as Buffalo’s starting tandem.
“For me, it’s a great opportunity. Obviously thankful for it and to be here,” said Jackson, following his first practice. “This team has been a good team for a long time. So to be a part of it, it’s great. I’m excited about it. For me, it’s obviously having this opportunity to be here to compete with the guys in camp. I’ll try my best to earn a spot here.”
Jackson said the Bills contacted him on Sunday, and he traveled to Buffalo to take his physical a day later.
Taylor Rapp is expected to take over one of the starting spots, with Damar Hamlin competing with veteran offseason free-agent addition Mike Edwards and rookie second-round pick Cole Bishop for the other job.
Edwards, however, will miss up to two weeks of practice after hurting his right hamstring on Friday. The sixth-year player also missed much of the Bills’ spring sessions recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Jackson’s experience at cornerback also lends itself to a position where Buffalo is seeking to replace the offseason loss of starter Tre’Davious White.
Jackson was limited to playing only 10 games last season as a result of the NFL suspending him twice for a total of six games because of a series of illegal hits. He was also fined five times and ejected twice. His suspensions cost him $839,000 in game checks and he was fined a total of $89,670, although the league rescinded his largest fine — $43,709 for an unflagged hit on Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco in October.
The Broncos eventually waived Jackson, leading him to be claimed by Houston.
Though believing he was unfairly singled out by league officials last season, Jackson said he would prefer focusing on this year.
“I feel like I got a lot left in the tank. I still feel really good. And I still got my fire still burning for it. And I still love the game,” Jackson said.
“So I feel like with all of those factors, I can come out and be successful.”
Overall, he has 22 interceptions, three of which he’s returned for touchdowns, with 193 starts in 203 career games.
Bills: Anderson expected to be released from thehospital after treatment for heat-related illness
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills backup offensive lineman Alec Anderson is expected to be released from the hospital following a brief stay in which he was treated for heat-related illness symptoms, the team announced on Tuesday.
“The Bills medical team, (GM) Brandon Beane and (coach) Sean McDermott spoke with Alec on the phone a short time ago, and he was in good spirits,” the Bills said in a statement released a few hours after the player was loaded into an ambulance and transported to the hospital following practice. “He is expected to be released from the hospital later this afternoon.”
Anderson appeared having difficulty getting up after the team’s post-practice stretching period.
McDermott and several Bills players were gathered near the ambulance, with offensive lineman Kevin Jarvis seen flashing a thumbs-up sign to his teammate through the ambulance window.
Starting left tackle Dion Dawkins referred to Anderson as being a “tough dude,” before adding: “Regardless of what it is, Alec’s fighting and he’ll be all right.”
Anderson is in his third year with Buffalo after being signed as an undrafted rookie free agent out of UCLA. He spent his first season on the Bills’ practice squad before making the roster last year, though he’s yet to appear in a game. Anderson has already had a notable camp in having been involved in several on-field scuffles with defensive teammates.
Before practice, offensive coordinator Joe Brady smiled when asked about Anderson’s feisty approach.
“I think the more years he goes by, he might realize you probably don’t need to fight every day,” Brady said, laughing. “But he doesn’t blink. It’s his personality. And it’s easier to tell a guy to back off than to bite. And I never have to worry about him biting.”
The Bills had just completed their sixth day of training camp in suburban Rochester, New York. Temperatures were in the mid-80s.
The practice was one of the team’s longest of camp in going just over two hours. Players practiced in light pads and shorts a day after the team’s first full-padded session.
The Bills have a day off on Wednesday before resuming camp on Thursday.
