The Buffalo Bills technically hadn’t had Jerry Hughes on their roster for a few weeks. When the new NFL league year began (a.k.a. when free agency started in April), the defensive end became a free agent.
Despite the addition of pass rusher Von Miller and Shaq Lawson re-signing in Buffalo, there still remained a chance, albeit small, that the 34-year-old could return to the Bills.
That officially ended up not happening. On Tuesday, reports surfaced that Hughes had signed with his hometown team, the Houston Texans.
Hughes was viewed as a team leader and vocal member of the Bills. That often comes with the status that Hughes held for the past few years.
Following the 2018 season, defensive tackle Kyle Williams retired. Williams was the longest-tenured member of the team, and he handed that torch off to Hughes.
Now time to answer the question at hand: Who now carries that title in Buffalo?
The answer is long snapper Reid Ferguson.
Ferguson is only 28 but he’s still the holder of that honor. He is one of the only members of the team that was with the Bills before Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott arrived.
Ferguson first joined the Bills in May 2016 after that year’s NFL draft, signing as a UDFA. Technically defensive end Shaq Lawson joined the team a few days prior to Ferguson because he was actually picked at the draft by Buffalo–but Lawson departed the Bills and has since returned.
Ferguson technically has had two stints in Buffalo as well, but it doesn’t matter in terms of longevity on the roster.
Ferguson technically was cut at the end of training camp in 2016. That season was the final one for Garrison Sanborn in Buffalo, who was the Bills’ long snapper from 2009-2016.
After clearing waivers, Ferguson went on to sign with Buffalo’s practice squad and stayed there in 2016, then the ensuing year in 2017 he took over the full-time snapping duties. It’s a job he’s held to this day as Ferguson has since signed two extensions with the Bills.
For those wondering, here’s how Ferguson feels about now being the “old man” in the locker room, at least in terms of tenure on the team:
— Reid Ferguson (@SnapFlow69) May 10, 2022
[lawrence-related id=100866,100864,100850]