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Undrafted rookie running back Jordan Mims is hoping to steal a spot on the Buffalo Bills‘ final roster, but started the team’s OTAs by stealing some spotlight with an unusual play against quarterback Josh Allen.
The Bills signed the former Fresno State quarterback after the NFL Draft, part of a crop of several undrafted free agents they picked up before the start of rookie minicamp. While he may face a battle to make the final roster, Mims did stand out at OTAs on May 30 when Allen took a turn at defense and tried to cover him.
Bills Rookie Burns Josh Allen
Allen tried his hand at cornerback during Tuesday’s practice, covering Mims as the running back went out for a pass. Mims was able to find separate and make an over-the-shoulder catch against Allen, attracting some viral attention for the play. The Bills shared video of Allen’s attempt at cornerback, and the NFL shared it on Twitter.
The video got a big reaction from fans.
“Mims saw his life flash before his eyes and turned on the jets,” one person tweeted.
Allen has been known to test out some new positions at practice in the past. Just before the season opener in 2021, Allen stayed loose in practice by taking a turn at wide receiver.
The viral video showed Allen running a route while blindly holding his arms out in the air, hoping that practice squad quarterback Davis Webb could drop it right into his hands. Webb’s first attempt hit Allen in the helmet, while his second pass bounced off Allen’s hands.
While Allen has never lined up at cornerback in his career, he has actually had some success at wide receiver in the past. He hauled in a 16-yard touchdown to kick off the scoring in Buffalo’s playoff loss to the Houston Texans in 2020, and caught another 12-yard touchdown in a game against the Arizona Cardinals the next season.
Jordan Mims Hoping to Make Impression in Buffalo
The rookie Mims joins a crowded backfield in Buffalo. Despite the departure of lead running back Devin Singletary in free agency, the Bills made some significant additions with veterans Damien Harris and Latavius Murray.
As Zach Dimmitt of SI.com’s Bills Central noted, Mims was the standout among the seven undrafted rookies signed before the start of rookie minicamp.
“But possibly the star of the group is Mims, who posted 261 carries for 1,370 yards and 18 touchdowns last season with the Bulldogs,” Dimmitt wrote. “He’s an experienced player who played five seasons at Fresno State, but could earn a 53-man roster spot based on the sole fact that he didn’t lose a single fumble during his five years in college. Scoring 45 career total touchdowns while losing zero fumbles at the Division 1 level shouldn’t be going unnoticed.”
Mims may have an extra opportunity to show off his receiving skills during OTAs as star wide receiver Stefon Diggs opted not to attend the optional practices. Though his absence caused a bit of a stir among fans, Bills general manager Brandon Beane said the team isn’t concerned and expects him to report.
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