The Buffalo Bills have agreed to a two-year deal with free agent RB Dominic Rhodes, according to an NFL.com report.
Terms of the deal have not been disclosed beyond the two-year commitment; Steve Wyche is reporting, however, that the deal is heavily incentive-laden.
The Bills have been searching for a veteran running back since prior to the start of the free agent signing period. With starting RB Marshawn Lynch suspended for the first three games of the season and his backup, Fred Jackson, the only proven runner on the team, the Bills needed a veteran back to help share the load in the early portions of the season. Rhodes has big-game experience and has enjoyed a productive career.
Rhodes, an eight-year veteran out of Midwestern State, spent the 2008 season with the Indianapolis Colts. He rushed for 538 yards and six touchdowns last season - one year after a disastrous 2007 season with the Oakland Raiders. Rhodes has spent seven of his eight seasons with the Colts, rushing for 3,114 yards and 26 touchdowns throughout his career. The 30-year-old tailback does not have a lot of wear on his tires, having registered roughly 130 touches per season as a pro. He is best known for his 21 carry, 113-yard performance (with a touchdown) in the Colts' Super Bowl XLI victory over the Chicago Bears - a strong performance that led to his big free agent deal with Oakland.
His one season in Oakland included a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He was also arrested in February of 2007 for drunk driving, eventually pleading guilty. His license was suspended for 180 days and he was fined $2,000 as a result of the incident.