Kareem Jackson, Bills Agree to Contract amid Mike Edwards Injury in NFL Training Camp

The Buffalo Bills announced Tuesday that they agreed to terms on a one-year contract with free-agent safety Kareem Jackson.

Buffalo signed the 36-year-old veteran in the wake of safety Mike Edwards suffering a hamstring injury during training camp. Bills head coach Sean McDermott noted that Edwards is "week-to-week."

Jackson, who is set to enter his 15th NFL season, spent parts of 10 seasons with the Houston Texans and parts of five seasons with the Denver Broncos.

Houston originally selected Jackson with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft after he starred collegiately at Alabama, winning a national championship in 2009.

Jackson was a cornerback for essentially the entirety of his first stint with the Texans, during which time he recorded 16 interceptions, but he was moved to safety when the Broncos signed him prior to the 2019 season.

In 69 regular-season games with the Broncos, Jackson reeled in 342 tackles, 22 passes defended and six picks, but the team never made the playoffs during his tenure.

When it became clear that the Broncos were going to miss the playoffs again last season, Denver released Jackson in December, allowing him to return to Houston via a waiver claim.

Jackson appeared in two regular-season games for the Texans in 2023, and played in one of their two playoff games as well.

All told, Jackson has 22 career interceptions in 203 NFL games, and he brings a wealth of experience to the Buffalo secondary.

Since 2017, the Bills' starting safety duo was Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde, but that will finally change in 2024.

Buffalo released Poyer, who went on to sign with the Miami Dolphins, while Hyde hit free agency and is expected to retire.

In an effort to replace them, the Bills re-signed Taylor Rapp, signed Edwards away from the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency and selected Cole Bishop in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft out of Utah.

Depending on Edwards' recovery, Rapp and Bishop are the likely starters right now, although Damar Hamlin and now Jackson could figure into the mix as well.

More likely, Jackson is veteran depth who can help replace some of the leadership lost from the departures of Poyer and Hyde.