Running back Reggie Bush is getting another chance to recapture his old magic. After Bush passed a physical with the team Monday, the Buffalo Bills signed the 31-year-old to a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Reggie Bush signs 1-year deal with Bills
The former No. 2 overall selection is moving on to his fifth team as he heads into the 11th year of his career.
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The team officially announced the signing Monday afternoon.
The San Francisco 49ers brought in Bush on a one-year deal before the 2015 season, hoping he would provide some spark on offense. However, injuries reared their ugly head once again. He was limited by a calf strain early on in the season, seeing just eight carries and four catches in five games while Carlos Hyde ran away with the every-down role.
Bush’s season came to an ignominious end in Week 8, when he slipped on concrete near the sidelines at Edward Jones Dome. He suffered a torn MCL on the fall, ending his season.
Now in his 30s and coming off a long string of injuries (he hasn’t played a full 16-game season since 2012), Bush is unlikely to play a major role on offense. The Bills can use the patch on the roster though, after Karlos Williams was dealt a four-game suspension for violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy. With fifth-round draft pick Jonathan Williams recently arrested and charged with DWI, it’s possible that Buffalo could be very thin behind LeSean McCoy before the regular season even begins.
“For most of my career I’ve played with a bigger back for a one-two punch combination, but now getting a chance to play with Shady and us complementing each other with our running styles I think it’ll be exciting,” Bush told the team website.
Bush is also expected to be the team’s No. 1 punt returner.
“That was also a point of emphasis definitely returning some punts and some kicks,” said Bush. “So you’ll definitely see me back there. That’s something the fans can also be excited about.”
In his career, he has returned 100 punts for 781 yards and four touchdowns.
Bush has been in the league since 2006, when the New Orleans Saints selected him with the No. 2 overall pick of the NFL Draft. He spent five seasons with the Saints before moving on to brief tenures with the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions. Bush is undoubtedly nearing the end of his NFL career, but the Bills are gambling that he can show flashes of his old playmaking ability.
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