Getty Devonta Freeman runs the ball against the Washington Football Team during his time with the New York Giants earlier this season.
Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane is working his magic again and he’s already set to try and find a replacement for injured running back Zack Moss.
ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported Tuesday morning that the Bills were signing former New York Giants running back Devonta Freeman to their practice squad, according to his agent Drew Rosenhaus.
Bills are signing former Giants’ RB Devonta Freeman to their practice squad, per his rep @DrewJRosenhaus. Bills need another back to make up for loss of RB Zack Moss.
The Bills lost Zack Moss for the remainder of the postseason on Saturday when he injured his ankle during their Wild Card matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. If Freeman can get up to speed this week, the Bills could have a more than capable backup to slot in next to Devin Singletary. But, Freeman hasn’t had a pro bowl type season since 2016 when he helped the Atlanta Falcons reach the Super Bowl.
In his second and third years in the league, Freeman tallied 1,000-yard seasons and had 11 touchdowns both years, but he hasn’t rushed for more than 900 yards in a single season since. He signed with the Giants this offseason and appeared in five games while starting four after Saquan Barkley went down early in the season.
Freeman tallied 172 yards and one touchdown and also caught seven passes for 58 yards. He never recorded more than 70 yards in a game and averaged 34.4 per outing before being placed on the injured reserve list in November. He was waived and cut by the Giants last Friday.
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Freeman Has Other Running Backs to Compete With
The Bills are probably just exploring their options with these signings as they already have plenty of options in the backfield.
When Bills head coach Sean McDermott met with the media on Monday, he said the Bills would explore all their options when it came to what they would do with their running game. He hinted at using Singletary as their only running back as he’s had experience carrying the load in the past. But, McDermott also said they would also kick the tires on other running backs like TJ Yeldon, Antonio Williams, and Christian Wade, who are all already on their roster.
Williams put himself on the map in Week 17 against the Miami Dolphins when he earned his first playing time of the season. He carried the ball 12 times for 63 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a pass for 20 yards.
Yeldon earned playing time earlier this year when Moss was out with a toe injury and tallied 70 yards on 10 attempts in three games. He also caught one pass for 22 yards and a touchdown. He has been a healthy scratch every week since. Wade hasn’t seen any action this season and has been on Buffalo’s practice squad all year.
Brandon Beane Continues to Make Moves Down the Stretch
Beane is always looking to improve his roster and the Freeman signing is just another sign of that. Just last week, ahead of their third playoff appearance in four years, Beane signed veteran receiver Kenny Stills to Buffalo’s practice squad.
With Cole Beasley battling an injury, Beane needed to add depth to the position but he also brought in an experienced receiver in the process.
He also brought a wide receiver in that has experience playing with quarterback Josh Allen. Along with Stills, Beane also signed former Wyoming wide receiver Tanner Gentry, who played with Allen in college.
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Bills Are Set To Sign Former Pro Bowl RB: Report