ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills signed running back Devonta Freeman to their practice squad Tuesday to add veteran depth after placing rookie Zack Moss on injured reserve.
Freeman is a seventh-year player who was released by the New York Giants last week. He joins Buffalo (14-3) after Moss suffered a season-ending ankle injury in a 27-24 wild-card playoff victory over Indianapolis last Saturday.
Freeman is eligible to begin practicing this week, though it’s unclear if he’ll be up to speed in time for Buffalo’s divisional-round game against the Baltimore Ravens (12-5) on Saturday.
Freeman was limited to five games with the Giants due to an ankle injury that sidelined him for the final half of the season, during which he also spent time on the reserve-COVID-19 list. He finished with 54 carries for 172 yards and scored a rushing touchdown.
He spent his first six NFL years in Atlanta, where Freeman topped 1,000 yards rushing twice and combined to score 27 touchdowns (22 rushing, five receiving) over the 2015 and ’16 seasons.
After starting the season as Buffalo’s backup, Moss closed the year splitting playing time with Devin Singletary. Selected in the third round out of Utah, Moss finished second on the team with 481 yards rushing, while scoring five touchdowns (including one receiving), three more than Singletary.
The Bills have several options to replace Moss in the lineup, with third-stringer T.J. Yeldon, Taiwan Jones and rookie Antonio Williams, a member of the practice squad. Williams showed promise in his career debut, finishing with 12 carries for 63 yards and two touchdowns and a 20-yard catch in Buffalo’s season-ending 56-26 win over Miami.
The Bills filled Moss’ roster spot by promoting offensive lineman Jordan Devey off their practice squad.
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