Bills sign veteran safety Kareem Jackson

The Buffalo Bills announced the signing of veteran safety Kareem Jackson on Tuesday to a one-year contract.

The Jackson signing comes on the heels of head coach Sean McDermott announcing that safety Mike Edwards is “week-to-week” with a hamstring injury. And, just hours after the signing was announced, rookie safety Cole Bishop left training camp practice with trainers after sustaining an injury.

Jackson, 36, will be entering his 15th NFL season and brings a veteran presence at the safety position group that is lacking with the departures of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.

Jackson has started in 193 of 203 career games played, with 124 starts coming with the Texans and 69 with the Broncos. He has 22 career interceptions, three interceptions returned for touchdown and seven career fumble recoveries.

The newly-signed safety was a defensive captain in Denver, which fits the bill for what the team has been looking for this off-season. Finding leadership in a secondary that lost Hyde, Poyer, and Tre’Davious White makes sense for McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich.

Jackson was waived by Denver in December of last year, and the Texans swooped in to sign their 2010 first round pick (20th overall). He finished the year in Houston, playing in ten games total in 2023 and was suspended six total games on the year for illegal hits.

The signing of Jackson led to the release of linebacker Shayne Simon.