Speedy Ex-Cowboys Wide Receiver Signs Deal With Bills

Getty Ex-Cowboys receiver Tavon Austin is signing with the Bills.

A former Dallas Cowboys receiver is signing with an AFC rival.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported on June 2 that the Buffalo Bills are signing wide receiver Tavon Austin. Austin, the eighth overall draft pick in 2013, was with the Cowboys during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He most recently spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, catching 24 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown in 13 games last season.

“The #Bills are signing WR Tavon Austin, according to a source and, well, Austin’s IG,” Garafolo tweeted. “Former eighth overall pick had 24 catches in seven games with the #Jaguars last year.”

The 31-year-old Austin is a former high school track and field runner who clocked 4.34 seconds during the 40-yard-dash at the 2013 combine. Austin’s 40-yard-dash time was the second-fastest of any wide receiver that year, behind Marquise Goodwin’s 4.27 seconds.

Austin’s Background With Cowboys

After beginning his career with a lot of hype as a top 10 draft pick — the speedy receiver was a two-time All-American at West Virginia and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team — Austin bounced around from team to team over nine years. The Bills will represent his fifth team in the past six seasons alone.

The 5-foot-8, 185-pound receiver was initially traded to the Cowboys during the 2018 offseason in exchange a sixth-round draft pick. A groin injury limited him to just nine games during his first season in Dallas, when he posted just eight receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

After the Cowboys acquired Randall Cobb to serve as Dallas’ new slot receiver prior to the start of the 2019 season, Austin was relegated to a reserve role.

In two seasons with the Cowboys, Austin caught 21 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns in 21 games. In addition to his role as receiver, Austin also served as Dallas’ punt returner, returning 27 punts for 142 yards.

Considering that the Bills allowed wide receiver Cole Beasley to walk as a free agent, Austin will have the opportunity to replace him. Austin and veteran Jamison Crowder will likely battle it out for the slot receiver role in Buffalo.

Austin holds career statistics of 244 receptions for 2,239 yards and 16 touchdowns across nine seasons, having also spent time with the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers.

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Lawrence’s Goal for 2022: Lead Cowboys in Sacks

Demarcus Lawrence has a goal in mind for the 2022 season: become the Cowboys’ sack leader once again.

After generating just three sacks last season and 11.5 combined sacks during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Lawrence was rather blunt in his objective for the 2022 campaign .

Via David Moore of The Dallas Morning News:

“Become the sack leader again,” Lawrence said. “I let a rookie show me up last year. … Shoutout to my boy, Micah (Parsons), but restate my dominance. Let everybody know that I’m coming, how I feel, and the type of respect I’m going to demand when I step on that field.”

Lawrence last led the Cowboys in sacks during the 2017 (14.5 sacks) and 2018 seasons (10.5 sacks). With Randy Gregory out of the fold and Dallas lacking in proven pass rushers outside of Micah Parsons and Dante Fowler, Lawrence will have every opportunity to re-assert his pass-rushing dominance.