The Buffalo Bills are adding some depth to their backfield as the team inches closer to the regular season. The club plans to sign veteran running back Ty Johnson, according to ESPN. This deal comes off the heels of Johnson working out for the team on Monday. The specific terms of Johnson's deal were not immediately disclosed.
Johnson spent the last three seasons with the New York Jets, but was released by the team back in April after tearing his pec during an offseason workout. This report that has Johnson jumping aboard with Buffalo also notes that he has been cleared medically with the pec injury.
The 25-year-old initially entered the NFL as a sixth-round draft choice of the Lions out of Maryland. He played sparingly for Detroit during his rookie season and was waived in early October of his sophomore season. That's when he was claimed by the Jets and enjoyed a solid tenure as a complementary piece within their backfield. His most productive season came in 2021 where he played 40% of the offensive snaps and got three starts in 16 total games played. That year, Johnson totaled 610 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns, which largely came from his pass-catching ability as 372 of those yards came as a receiver on 34 receptions.
For his career, Johnson has caught 86 of his 131 targets for 668 yards and three touchdowns, while tacking on 925 yards rushing on a 4.4 yards per carry average.
It's Johnson's pass-catching ability that could be what Buffalo is eyeing from him, particularly in the aftermath of fellow running back Nyheim Hines tearing his ACL in his left knee following a jet ski accident earlier this summer. Johnson has the ability to be a pass-catching option for the Bills, specifically on third down.