HEADLINES

Fred Jackson

Bills Sign Fred Jackson To Extension

July 30th, 2014 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The oldest running back in the NFL has received a contract extension, according to the Bills, who announced today in a press release that they’ve locked up Fred Jackson beyond this season. Per Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (via Twitter), the new deal will keep Jackson under contract through 2015, extending his current deal by a year.Fred Jackson

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) adds further salary details, reporting that Jackson’s one-year extension is worth $2.6MM, with up to $1MM in additional incentives. The longtime Bill is slated to earn a base salary of $2.45MM this season, plus a few modest bonuses, so the extra year comes in at about the same rate, with the opportunity for a raise if he continues to perform at a high level.

Despite turning 33 this past winter, Jackson had one of his best seasons in 2013, compiling 1,277 total yards from scrimmage and setting a career high with 10 total touchdowns. The veteran running back, who has spent seven years with the Bills, carried the ball 206 times and caught a career-high 47 passes.

Heading into 2014, Jackson figures to split time with C.J. Spiller and the newly-acquired Bryce Brown, with Anthony Dixon providing depth. While that may seem like a crowded backfield, no NFL club gave its running backs more total carries last season than Buffalo, so there should be plenty of touches to go around.

With an extension in hand, Jackson joins Brown and Dixon as backs under contract beyond 2014, so it’s not clear whether Spiller, who is on an expiring deal, will have a long-term future in Buffalo.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Titans, Bortles, Bills, Raiders

July 8th, 2014 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Chris Johnson has never rushed for fewer than 1,047 yards in an NFL season, but with his cap number on the rise and the price of running backs around the league on the decline, the Titans decided to release him this offseason. As the new Jets running back tells Brian Costello of the New York Post, Tennessee’s decision will provide plenty of incentive for him to succeed in 2014 and beyond.

“Of course I have a chip on my shoulder,” Johnson said. “It gives me more motivation to continue to work hard and come here and be that guy I’ve been my whole career. I want to prove [the Titans] wrong. They released me and I want to let them know they made a mistake.”

Here’s more from around the AFC, including a couple items related to Johnson’s old team:

  • In a piece for the Tennessean, Jim Wyatt surveys the Titans‘ landscape at wide receiver, and looks specifically at the odds of journeyman Derek Hagan cracking the regular season roster. Like fellow Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky, Wyatt suggests it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Tennessee add another receiver to the roster in August or even September.
  • No. 3 overall pick Blake Bortles is on board with the decision to sit in his rookie season, with Chad Henne starting at quarterback for the Jaguars. However, as he tells NFL Media’s Bryan Fischer, Bortles will be ready if he’s called upon earlier than expected.
  • The Bills will have some decisions to make soon on their running backs, writes Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, who says he thinks Buffalo wants Bryce Brown to develop into one of the team’s lead backs. If that’s the case, the futures of C.J. Spiller or Fred Jackson, who are both eligible for free agency in 2015, figure to be up in the air.
  • After an offseason which saw the Raiders add several veteran free agents, including some with championship experience, cornerback Taiwan Jones believes there’s a different feeling in Oakland heading into this season, according to Eddie Paskal of Raiders.com.

Bills Acquire Bryce Brown From Eagles

May 10th, 2014 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

1:14pm: The pick the Eagles received from the Bills could become a third-rounder in 2016 only if Johnson meets his conditions that would defer the pick to 2016, and then Brown also meets his conditions, reports Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 Sports Radio (via Twitter).

12:22pm: The Eagles have confirmed the trade (via Twitter) and provided more details. In exchange for Brown, the Birds will receive either a 2015 fourth-rounder or a 2016 third- or fourth-rounder. Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer points out (via Twitter) the condition is tied into Stevie Johnson’s performance in San Francisco because he was acquired from Buffalo for a conditional fourth-rounder.

Meanwhile, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says the trade is simply a depth move, and Jackson’s job is safe (via Twitter).

11:49am: The Eagles have traded a player for a draft pick, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com, who reports (via Twitter) that running Bryce Brown will be sent to the Bills. Philadelphia acquires a future pick in the deal, per Mosher.

Brown became expendable following the addition of Darren Sproles. In Buffalo, Brown will provide depth behind C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson, both of whom are entering the final year of their deals.