Bills sign LB Draft, S Johnson to bolster D
Posted Oct 13, 2009 9:10 PM
By JOHN WAWROW
(AP)
BUFFALO, N.Y. -The Bills have signed linebacker Chris Draft and safety Todd Johnson in a bid to improve their injury-riddled defense.
Johnson's agent, Peter Schaffer, confirmed his client signed with Buffalo on Tuesday. Draft's signing was confirmed by a person familiar with the decision who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the Bills had not announced it.
The moves come a day after Buffalo announced linebackers Kawika Mitchell and Marcus Buggs both sustained season-ending injuries in a 6-3 loss to Cleveland on Sunday.
Johnson was a fourth-round pick by Chicago in 2003 and played three years with the Bears before joining St. Louis in 2007. Draft is a 10-year veteran who had 38 tackles for the Rams last season.
Buffalo's defense has been besieged by injuries since starting middle linebacker Paul Posluszny broke his forearm in the team's season-opening loss at New England. Since then they've lost cornerback Leodis McKelvin (broken leg) for the year, while safeties Bryan Scott (ankle) and Donte Whitner (thumb) have both missed the past two games.
Whitner indicated he wants to return when the reeling Bills (1-4) travel to New York to play the Jets (3-2) on Sunday.
"I feel like I'm pretty close," he said.
Buffalo has lost eight straight games within the division since last year, including losses this season to the Patriots and Miami Dolphins.
On Sunday, the defense allowed just 193 yards, but the offense was anemic for the third straight game. The Bills have produced just one offensive touchdown during their three-game losing streak.
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2009-10-13 21:10:18
