Travis Clayton signs rookie contract with Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills announced that offensive tackle Travis Clayton has signed his rookie contract with the NFL. Clayton becomes the first member of the team’s 2024 NFL Draft class to sign his deal, joining a list of 12 additional undrafted free agents who signed rookie contracts Thursday.

Clayton comes to One Bills Drive through the International Player Pathway (IPP) program. He enters the NFL as one of 16 individuals selected for the IPP, having come to the United States after playing rugby – as an inside center for Basingstoke at London 3 South West.

The IPP is the NFL’s current international program designed to help American football grow on the global stage by providing athletes with the opportunity to play professional football with the NFL.

The Bills selected Clayton in the seventh round of this year’s draft, targeting him with their final selection this weekend, the 221st overall pick. While Clayton, who stands 6’7″ and weighs 301 pounds with 35″ long arms, is a completely raw developmental prospect, he is someone with a lot of potential.

Playing inside center in rugby best translates to the role of a traditional fullback or goal line back in tackling football. Clayton isn’t expected to play fullback, but it’s a short trip to imagine how offensive coordinator Joe Brady might want to introduce him to the NFL. Clayton was timed running a 4.79-second 40-yard dash, which is faster than JJ Watt’s NFL Scouting Combine time.

In preparing to enter the NFL, Travis Clayton completed a 10-week preparatory stay in Florida through the IPP program. As well as rugby and his new sport, American football, Clayton is a true multi-sport Renaissance man with a background in boxing and tennis – and also includes football, rowing and skeleton among his sports.

This isn’t the front office’s first foray into developing international prospects via IPP, with former running back Christian Wade. Wade was on a practice squad as the 11th man — at the time an extra spot on 10-man PS rosters and exempt from playing due to his inability to make the active 53-man roster. He was a preseason darling, but never got to appear in a regular season game for Buffalo.

Like Wade, Clayton can be added to the Bills’ practice squad as a supplemental player (now as the 17th player on a 16-man PS roster). A key difference now is that he is eligible to be recalled to the active roster during the season a maximum of three times. So even though he isn’t on the team’s 53-man roster, Clayton still has the opportunity to play in NFL games starting this season with the Buffalo Bills.

Clayton’s ability to do this, of course, will depend on his level of preparation, his abilities and much more. The Bills are banking on Travis Clayton’s potential for that and more.