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Alaina GetzenbergESPN
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bills added a veteran presence to the team’s running backs room, signing Latavius Murray to a one-year deal just two days after the 2023 NFL draft concluded.
The Bills did not address the position in the draft but did sign former Fresno State running back Jordan Mims to a deal as an undrafted free agent following the draft.
The 33-year-old Murray, a Syracuse native who also earned an MBA from Syracuse in 2020, becomes the second-oldest player on the Bills’ roster (behind Von Miller) and adds experience to a running backs room that is headlined by 2022 second-round pick James Cook.
“I just think that the fit was right, to be able to come in and again, provide a different element in the run game and then also try to help the guys around me in that room, just based off my experience,” Murray said. “So, I look forward to learning from them. They’re younger, keep me young and I also look forward to sharing knowledge and sharing my experiences to make them better, which essentially helps the team.”
Murray, who said he is “motivated to win a Super Bowl,” had a visit with the team April 12 but wanted to see how the draft went before signing him to a deal. He watched the draft picks closely to see if the Bills would take a running back with the team communicating it was a possibility.
During Day 3 of the draft, however, general manager Brandon Beane contacted Murray’s agent, as he said on WGR-AM in Buffalo, and agreed to a deal so that they could draft other positions.
“[I] was definitely hoping that it played out this way,” Murray said. “Seeing how the draft played out that I’d be getting that call. So, thankful for the opportunity to be here and very grateful and just excited.”
Murray’s style fits in as a bigger back — 6-foot-3, 230-pounds — for short-yardage situations. The Bills also signed Damien Harris this offseason and have Nyheim Hines coming back for his first full season with the team after being acquired before the trade deadline in 2022.
Murray finished last season with the Denver Broncos, who signed the running back off the New Orleans Saints‘ practice squad after Javonte Williams suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. He proved to be a pleasant surprise for a sluggish offense that spent much of the 2022 season mired in injuries.
Murray finished the season as one of the Broncos’ most reliable performers on offense and a locker room leader. Thrust into the lead role, he had two 100-yard rushing games over the final five weeks, as he finished with 760 yards between the two teams — his best output since 2017.
His 130 yards rushing in the Broncos’ victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 15 was the fourth-highest total in any game of his career.
Murray has 6,252 career rushing yards and 57 total touchdowns over nine NFL seasons with the Broncos, Saints, Ravens, Vikings and Raiders.
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold contributed to this report.
Source: www.espn.com