Jackson, suspended twice in 2023, joining Bills

PITTSFORD, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills signed veteran Kareem Jackson to a one-year deal on Tuesday, as they continue to tweak their safety room to replace seven-year starters Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde.

Jackson, 36, is in attendance and participating in the team’s second padded practice. His signing comes after veteran Mike Edwards suffered a hamstring injury.

Coach Sean McDermott described Edwards as “week-to-week.” Edwards’ injury left Damar Hamlin and rookie Cole Bishop to compete for a starter role alongside likely starter Taylor Rapp. Edwards also missed time in the spring with a shoulder injury.

Jackson had a tumultuous 2023 season that included two suspensions (totaling six games), multiple fines ($89,670) and lost wages ($838,889 in salary) for repeated violations of unnecessary roughness rules. The suspensions came after Jackson, then with the Denver Broncos, was ejected from two games for hits on Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave and then-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs. He received four-game suspensions for both hits, but the punishment for the hit on Musgrave was reduced to two games after an appeal.

The Broncos waived Jackson after he completed the second suspension, and he was claimed by the Houston Texans in December.

The 2010 No. 20 draft pick by the Texans has started 193 games. He has 22 interceptions, 954 tackles and seven forced fumbles over 15 seasons.