Buffalo Bills add experience at safety by signing Kareem Jackson to a one-year deal

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills added depth to their revamped safety position by signing Kareem Jackson to a one-year contract Tuesday.

Jackson, 36, has 14 years of NFL experience and split a suspension- and fine-filled season last year between Denver and Houston. Selected by Houston in the first round of the 2010 draft, Jackson spent his first nine seasons playing cornerback before switching to safety after signing with Denver in 2019.

In Buffalo, Jackson has the potential to solidify a safety position in transition after Jordan Poyer left as a free agent this offseason and Micah Hyde remains unsigned and contemplating retirement. The two spent the previous seven seasons as the starting duo in Buffalo.

Taylor Rapp is expected to take over one of the starting jobs, with Damar Hamlin competing with veteran free agent Mike Edwards for the other. Edwards, however, will miss up to two weeks of practice after injuring his right hamstring Friday. The sixth-year player also missed much of the Bills’ spring training camp recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

Jackson’s experience at cornerback also lends itself to a position where Buffalo is looking to replace the offseason loss of starter Tre’Davious White.

Jackson was only able to play in 10 games last year because the NFL suspended him twice for a total of six games for a series of illegal hits. He was also fined five times and ejected twice. His suspensions cost him $839,000 in game checks and he was fined a total of $89,670, though the league waived his largest fine — $43,709 for an unreported hit on Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco in October.

The Broncos ultimately waived Jackson, leading to him being claimed by Houston.

Overall, he has thrown 22 interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns, in 193 starts in 203 career games.

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John Wawrow, Associated Press