Buffalo Bills sign guard/tackle Justin Murray; Tommy Doyle to IR

The Buffalo Bills announced that they have signed offensive lineman Justin Murray to a one-year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Murray, 29, entered the NFL in 2016, signing with the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent following the 2016 NFL Draft. He spent the entire 2016 season as a member of Denver’s practice squad, and he made it through the 2017 preseason with the team, as well. However, he was waived before ever appearing in a game for the club.

Thus began Murray’s NFL odyssey, as he was on three different rosters during the 2017 season—first with the Broncos, then with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and finally with the Cincinnati Bengals. That last stop was a homecoming, as he grew up in Cincinnati and played collegiately for the Bearcats.

Murray moved on Oakland in 2018, landing with the Raiders before they moved to Las Vegas. It was with the Silver and Black that he made his pro debut, appearing in two games at tackle for the 2018 Raiders. He played just 50 snaps on offense and five on defense during that season.

In 2019, Murray was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Cardinals, and he appeared in 12 games for the team that year. He remained with Arizona through the 2021 season, starting in a combined 20 games and appearing in 32 over that time. He suffered a back injury in Week Three of the 2021 season, which led the Cardinals to place him on IR, effectively ending his tenure with the team. He was waived this past August with an injury settlement.

Buffalo has endured a slew of injuries to their offensive linemen, as center Mitch Morse, center/guard Greg Van Roten, guard Ryan Bates, tackle Spencer Brown, and guard/tackle Tommy Doyle were all injured either prior to or during Buffalo’s 21-19 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Doyle was placed on injured reserve thanks to an ACL tear he suffered during Sunday’s game, and that move made room for Murray to sign with the Bills. Doyle’s season is over due to the injury.

Murray has experience at both guard and tackle, which makes him the perfect fit for Buffalo as a reserve offensive lineman. General manager Brandon Beane has prioritized versatility in his offensive linemen throughout his tenure, and he’s been especially keen on signing veterans with starting experience to serve in reserve roles. Murray checks all of those boxes for Buffalo as they hope to regain some good health for their matchup with the Baltimore Ravens this week.