Buffalo Bills add dynamic weapon J.D. McKissic to their backfield

In one of the more underrated moves of free agency, the Buffalo Bills added JD McKissic to their running back room. One of the top receiving backs in the game, the former Washington RB could add value in an offense built around superstar QB Josh Allen.

The Buffalo Bills made an addition to their offense on Tuesday, adding veteran RB JD McKissic to their backfield on a two-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The deal is worth $7 million but could grow to $8 million if the former Washington Commander reaches the incentives throughout.

With only 979 career rushing yards, JD McKissic may not be the guy to look to boost an offense that’s running game was lifted by Josh Allen, who finished with 763 yards and six touchdowns on the ground last season.

Devin Singletary did go on a tear down the stretch with 70 or more scrimmage yards in six of the team’s final seven games (including the playoffs), but now he’ll have a backfield mate that compliments him as a receiving threat.

Since 2020, only Alvin Kamara (130) and Austin Ekeler (124) have had more receptions by an RB than McKissic (123). McKissic also ranks third behind those two names in terms of receiving yards for an RB in that span.

In that ’20 season, the Arkansas State product had career-best numbers of 80 receptions, 589 receiving yards, and 954 yards from scrimmage. His stat-line may have been a little down last season in Washington (43 receptions, 397 receiving yards, 609 yards from scrimmage), but he also had other career-best marks, including catch rate for a season in which he had 30 or more receptions (81.1%), total TDs (4), and passer rating when targeted (102.6), despite missing six games and landing on injured reserve.

JD McKissic’s skills as a receiver go back to his days at A-State, where he was initially used as a wideout, before moving around the field as an RB and return man. He could be a valuable piece for Allen, one of the top players in football who is coming off back-to-back seasons of elite play, as he’s second and tied for second in yards and TDs accounted for, respectively, since ’20.

McKissic could also fill an integral role that the Bills have not had in some time. The last Bills back to record more than 40 receptions in a season was LeSean McCoy, who totaled 59 in 2017.

With McKissic’s signing, the addition of guard Rodger Saffold, the re-signing of WR Isaiah McKenzie, restructuring center Mitch Morse’s deal, as well as retaining Ken Dorsey and promoting him to offensive coordinator, the Bills seem hell-bent on keeping their offense humming around Allen.