Buffalo Bills are awarded Shawne Merriman off waivers
The Buffalo Bills were the first team eligible to claim Shawne Merriman off waivers and took advantage. With the Bills, Dolphins and Buccaneers all putting in claims for him, the Bills, being in last place, were awarded the former Charger.
NFL waiver rules give the worst team the first shot at waived players.
San Diego placed Merriman on waivers after injuries affected his play, and his career just hasn’t been the same in recent years. He’ll now go to a team that has yet to win a game this season at 0-7. However, just like the Bills are trying to revitalize their
team, maybe Merriman is a good fit, seeing as how he wants to revitalize his career.
It’s ironic that three teams claimed Merriman, while there was Randy Moss on the waiver wire the same day. Only one team, the Tennessee Titans, claimed Moss and got him.
General Manager Buddy Nix knows Merriman well, as he was part of the Chargers’ front office when they drafted the once feared pass-rusher in 2005. Merriman was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2005. He had 17 sacks in just 12 games in 2006.
"We think Shawne can help our defence," Nix said in a statement released by the team. "He has been an impact player in a 3-4 defence, and we feel this is a good opportunity to make our team better."
The Bills were not expected to go after any notable players, as they were planning on rebuilding through the draft. However with the worst defence in the league and the lack of a pass rush, the Bills may see Merriman as a short-term fix, which may propel
them to some wins.
Merriman has not been the same player due to his string of injuries and off-field troubles. The Chargers announced they would release the linebacker when healthy after he suffered a calf injury earlier this season. They placed him on the injured reserve
list, with a “minor-injury designation” meaning they’d release him when he recovered.
Only time will tell if Merriman can help the Bills win a game. They’ve played well recently and this could be a good chance at a fresh start for Merriman.
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