Adam Caplan was the first to report, and now the team has confirmed, that the Buffalo Bills are signing Indianapolis Colts assistant offensive line coach Bobby Johnson as their new offensive line coach, replacing the fired Juan Castillo.
Johnson spent one year in Indianapolis, joining them after spending three seasons on Jack Del Rio’s staff in Oakland as the tight ends coach. He spent two years with the Detroit Lions (tight ends and assistant offensive line), one season with the Jacksonville Jaguars (tight ends), and two with the Buffalo Bills (assistant offensive line) after moving from the college ranks.
Eric Wood, who played for Johnson in Buffalo, had good things to say about the new hire:
“Bills got a great coach and a great man in Bobby Johnson! He will fit in on this staff extremely well and the guys will learn a lot from him,” said Wood on Twitter.
The Colts offensive line was great last year, allowing a league-low 18 sacks. The o-line coach Johnson worked under in Indy, Dave DeGuglielmo, was offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s offensive line coach in Miami and worked with Daboll in New England. That seems to be the strongest connection between the current Bills regime and Johnson.
Buffalo fired Castillo after a down year with plenty of holes on the offensive line. The Bills are expected to spend and/or draft heavily along the front five this off-season.