The Buffalo Bills have announced that the team has signed free agent wide receiver Chad Jackson.
Jackson was chosen No. 36 overall by the New England Patriots in the 2006 NFL Draft after many couch scouts predicted he'd be a first-round pick out of Florida. The 6'1", 215-pound Jackson spent two seasons in New England, where he caught 13 passes in two years while suffering one major knee injury. Jackson spent the 2008 season with Denver (1 catch, 19 yards) and made last year's opening day roster under new head coach Josh McDaniels, but was cut soon thereafter. He did not play in 2009.
A junior entrant into the '06 draft, Jackson slid down draft boards despite coming off an 88-catch, 9-touchdown season in his junior campaign. At just 25 years of age, there is still some untapped potential to explore with Jackson, but his injury history remains a concern. At best, he projects as a depth option with the talent to push the likes of James Hardy and Steve Johnson, who will compete for a starting receiver job opposite veteran Lee Evans.
Buffalo also announced that the team had re-signed restricted free agent CB Ashton Youboty.