Bills OL Alec Anderson hospitalized after heat-related incident

Lineman of the Buffalo Bills Alec Anderson was hospitalized Tuesday in the middle of the team’s training camp after suffering from a heat-related illness. The UCLA offensive lineman was cared for by the team’s trainers before being taken to the hospital.

The Bills are training for the 2024 regular season in Rochester, New York, where temperatures are around 80 degrees. Despite the relatively mild temperatures, Tuesday was the team’s first practice this year in protective gear.

The Buffalo Bills drafted Anderson as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA following the 2022 NFL Draft. He has played in preseason games for the team but has yet to play in a regular season game. He signed a two-year, $1.67 million contract with the team.

Bills sign cornerback Kareem Jackson

Former first-round cornerback Kareem Jackson will prepare for a 15th season in the league after signing a one-year deal with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday, the team announced. Jackson finished the 2023 season with the Houston Texans – the team that originally drafted him from Alabama in 2010 – after the Denver Broncos released him on Christmas Day.

Jackson had just returned to practice after a four-game suspension for repeated violations of the unnecessary roughness rule when the Denver Broncos decided to move on. In total, he missed six games last season due to his suspension. The league fined him $89,670 and he had to forfeit $838,889 in salary. He still managed to finish the year with 53 tackles and two interceptions – all of which he earned with the Broncos.

“I want to get rid of the bitter taste,” Jackson said after his release from Denver. “The last few weeks have been tough for me. It’s been a tough season for me, with everything that’s happened. It’s been a tough season for me mentally.”

Now with the Bills, Jackson has the opportunity to start over. He will play under Buffalo’s defensive coordinator Bobby Babich and head coach Sean McDermott. To make room for him on the roster, the team has traded linebacker Shayne Simon.

Jackson spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Texans, playing in 132 games (124 starts). In 2019, he joined the Broncos, where he became the defensive captain. In 14 seasons, he recorded 955 tackles (737 solo), 22 interceptions and six forced fumbles. His last contract with the Broncos was for one year and worth $2.66 million.