RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesThe Buffalo Bills spent the first two days of training camp auditioning punt returners.
Then they added the most prolific one in college football history.
Buffalo signed veteran wide receiver Dante Pettis to a one-year contract on Thursday, bringing the NCAA record-holder with nine career punt return touchdowns into a competition that has already included Keon Coleman, Mecole Hardman, Khalil Shakir and rookie Skyler Bell.
Pettis will wear No. 87 with the Bills.
Buffalo waived wide receiver Jalen Virgil with a non-football injury designation in a corresponding move.
Pettis, 30, brings seven years of NFL experience after spending time with the San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants , Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints .
He has 92 career receptions for 1,231 yards and 13 touchdowns in 66 games but his resume extends to special teams.
Pettis returned 20 punts for 169 yards and 18 kickoffs for 447 yards over the past two seasons with New Orleans. He has averaged 24.8 yards per kickoff return during that span.
His biggest return accomplishments came at the University of Washington.
Pettis set the NCAA record with nine career punt return touchdowns and earned consensus All-America honors in 2017 before the 49ers selected him in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft with the No. 44 overall pick.
The signing comes as the Bills sort through their return options early in training camp.
During the first two practices, Buffalo rotated Coleman, Hardman, Shakir and Bell through punt return drills.
Coleman returned punts during his college career at Florida State and handled two punts in 2025 for the Bills. Hardman made the Pro Bowl as a rookie return specialist in 2019. Shakir returned 16 punts for 124 yards for a 7.8 average last season.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills sign NCAA punt return touchdown record-holder and waive wide receiver
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