Last Friday the Bills signed WR Tavon Austin to a one-year contract. While I’m sure many of us think there’s going to be no room for him and he’s not going to get any playing time, the Bills definitely had a reason for signing him.
The #Bills are signing WR Tavon Austin, according to a source and, well, Austin’s IG. Former eighth overall pick had 24 catches in seven games with the #Jaguars last year. pic.twitter.com/0l735Mh5tf
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) June 3, 2022
This is going to be Austin’s 10th NFL season. He’s played in over 100 games and has racked up over 3300 yards between rushing and receiving with 28 total TDs.
On signing Austin, Bills GM Brandon Beane had this to say: “Adding Tavon is just adding depth and competition… that’s all it is. We’re constantly looking. … we had a workout, we brought in a couple of guys last week – and you know, Tavon is 32 and you’re going, I know he ran 4.2-something, whatever he ran… when he came out, which was why he was drafted so high. You’re going, ‘All right, what’s he look like now?’”
Austin isn’t your average WR. He’s a very versatile player who can not only catch the ball, but he can run it out of the backfield, on sweeps or reverses. Also, he could be great to have in the return game with his speed.
#Bills new WR Tavon Austin says he wants to show people the old Tavon. Here's a look at practice today in the return game and on offense. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/msZlHDBKMQ
— Andy Young (@AndyYoungTV) June 7, 2022
Austin is mostly known for his college football highlights. Many current players even now look up to him and know him from his college highlight videos. He was a very explosive player, especially with the ball in his hands out in open space. He was able to make the first tackler miss almost every time while being extremely elusive and difficult to bring down.
The Bills most likely made this signing to have Austin play a part in the return game. He is a veteran returner and is going to be smart and reliable to have back there returning punts. Austin has returned 190 punts in his career for 1483 yards and 3 TDs. The Bills could be looking for someone to provide a spark for them in the return game.
Stefon Diggs appears to be excited about adding Tavon Austin to the #Bills WR group. pic.twitter.com/0gpwNOZOpO
— Bradley Gelber (@BradleyGelber) June 3, 2022
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Austin get some reps in the slot, or even in the backfield. Austin can be a great gadget player, similar to Isaiah McKenzie. Ken Dorsey can have a lot of fun with both Austin and McKenzie on the field together. Defenders aren’t going to know who to key in on.
Austin brings a different dynamic to the table. A player who can do it all. Catch, run and return kicks. Beane and Sean McDermott are going to see if Austin still has some left in the tank to contribute to the Bills’ already high-powered offense. It will be very fun to see if Buffalo can utilize his skill set.
