Getty Former New York Jets running back Ty Johnson is the talk of the NYJ community after an emotional reveal on his release.
The Buffalo Bills picked up a former New York Jets running back who may have a bone to pick with his former team.
The Bills are planning to sign free-agent running back Ty Johnson, USA Today’s Nick Wojton reported on August 21. Johnson broke into the NFL in 2019 as a member of the Detroit Lions and spent the last three seasons with the Jets, rushing for a combined 652 yards and four touchdowns.
Johnson was released by the Jets in May after undergoing surgery for a torn pectoral muscle, and afterward took aim at the team for how the process was handled.
Ty Johnson Publicly Blasted Jets
Johnson spoke out about his release from the Jets in an Instagram post, saying he followed the advice of team doctors after his offseason injury only to find himself released anyway.
“Had some dark, dark days, man,” Johnson said. “Like honestly, went to New York and told them. I told them before reporting, ‘Hey, I was working out. This is what happened.’ Saw the team doctor, and he said, ‘You need to get it fixed.’ Flew out the next day. Come back happy that I got it done, even though I didn’t want to get it done. That following Wednesday, you are out of there, and I was like, ‘D**n.’ At the end of the day, I know I’m going to be all right. I know God has got my back, and just keep going forward, man.”
Free agent running back Ty Johnson plans to sign with the #Bills, per source. Worked out for the team today and is cleared from a torn pec.
The former New York Jet can help Buffalo’s third-down offense after the loss of Nyheim Hines.
Johnson also had the support of former teammate D.J. Reed Jr., who took to Twitter to say the running back should have been protected while he was rehabbing from injury on the advice of the team.
“Off-site injuries while working out should have some type of protection from the team,” Reed tweeted. “Same thing happened to me in San Fran.”
Crowded Backfield in Buffalo
Johnson could face a challenge in making the final 53-man roster in Buffalo. The Bills have just one preseason game remaining and a fairly crowded backfield, with second-year back James Cook expected to play the role of lead back with veterans Damien Harris and Latavius Murray working in short-yardage situations.
Wojton suggested that the next week before final cutdowns on August 29 could be something of an audition for Johnson to show other NFL teams that he still has what it takes to contribute.
“At this late stage of the offseason, Johnson might very well be auditioning for a role with another NFL team by signing with the Bills,” Wojton wrote. “It’s not out of the norm for team to use depth players for most of the game in their preseason finale, which is what awaits Buffalo this upcoming weekend against the Chicago Bears.”
The Bills have in the past kept some veteran running backs on their practice squad, as they did last season with Duke Johnson. There could also be more of an opening given the season-ending injury to Nyheim Hines, who had joined the team at last season’s trade deadline and played a role as a pass-catching back and return specialist.