Buffalo Bills sign Boom Herron, place MarQueis Gray on Injured Reserve

The Buffalo Bills signed free agent running back Boom Herron on Tuesday, a move necessitated by injuries to the top two tailbacks on the roster, LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams.

In order to make room for Herron on the 53-man roster, the Bills placed tight end MarQueis Gray on Injured Reserve, bringing his 2015 campaign to a close after just four games. The Bills now have five running backs on their active roster, but with McCoy and Williams looking unlikely to suit up in Tennessee, the Bills will roll with Boobie Dixon, Cierre Wood, and Herron in the backfield.

Herron was expected to serve as the backup to Frank Gore with Indianapolis in 2015, but the team waived-injured him prior to the season after he was injured on a kick return in the preseason finale. In limited time during the 2014 season with the Colts, Herron ran the ball 78 times for 351 yards and a touchdown (with two lost fumbles), and added 21 receptions for 173 yards, as well.

This isn't quite as bad as the preseason contest in which the team was missing McCoy, Williams, Dixon, and since-departed veterans Fred Jackson and Bryce Brown - they played an exhibition game in Cleveland with Wood, Bronson Hill, and Ricky Seale sharing reps - but Buffalo's seemingly full running back depth chart has quickly been depleted twice now this year.

As we mentioned this morning, among Buffalo's healthy players, quarterback Tyrod Taylor (111 yards) and wide receiver Percy Harvin (32 yards) are the team's leading rushers heading into Sunday's road game with the Titans.

The Bills also filled Wood's vacated spot on the practice squad, bringing second-year receiver Walter Powell - a 2014 sixth-round pick in Arizona - into the fold.