Wide receiver Tavon Austin isn’t getting the former first-round pick treatment with the Buffalo Bills
Both the team and player acknowledged that.
Austin, 32, signed with the Bills last week. He was a first-round pick of the St. Louis Rams in 2013 and his career hasn’t lived up to those heights.
Because of that, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane shot it straight. Austin will have a chance to compete and that’s it.
“Adding Tavon is just adding depth and competition. That’s all it is,” Beane said via video conference.
It was acknowledged by the general manager that Austin was a swap deal. Right after it was announced that Austin was signed, undrafted rookie free agent Malik Williams was released.
That was evidently a one-for-one switch out, so Austin certainly has nothing guaranteed.
But Beane didn’t just bring him on for the heck of it. Per the GM, they saw something.
“Tavon is 32 and you’re going, ‘I know he ran 4.2-something when he came out which is why he was drafted so high. You’re going, ‘What’s he look like now?’ I tell you what, in his workout he showed good speed and burst. He’s still got it,” Beane said.
For the player himself, Austin’s attention is on proving just that. In the process, he wants to show the NFL what teams saw in him in 2013.
“I feel like a lot of people forgot about Tavon Austin,” he said. “It wasn’t my time and that’s OK though. That’s one of the things I realized about this situation and my own journey.”
“I’m looking forward to it, though. I’m back,” Austin added.
Dealing with some injuries prior to this offseason, Austin said he feels healthy now. He hopes that will help him make a difference on the field because he knows the Bills are a team that reward players who can do just that.
“If you make plays the ball will find you. That’s the God’s honest truth,” Austin said. “Make plays, be consistent, you play.”
Austin can offer the Bills some versatility which certainly would make him an attractive addition. Not only can he catch passes, Austin can also take handoffs and return punts.
Speaking of the latter, Spectrum News released this footage of Austin during Buffalo’s recent spring workouts. In it, he’s getting reps as a punt returner:
#Bills new WR Tavon Austin says he wants to show people the old Tavon. Here’s a look at practice today in the return game and on offense. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/msZlHDBKMQ
— Andy Young (@AndyYoungTV) June 7, 2022
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