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Bills Sign UFL MVP Ian Wheeler to Bolster Running Back Depth

The low-cost addition gives Buffalo an experienced springboard player who will compete for a backup role behind James Cook.

Overview

  • The Buffalo Bills announced on Thursday that they signed 24-year-old running back Ian Wheeler after his breakout UFL season.
  • Wheeler earned United Bowl MVP honors after rushing for 81 yards and scoring the go-ahead touchdown that helped the Louisville Kings win the UFL title.
  • He set a UFL single-game mark with four rushing touchdowns on April 26 and finished the spring with 541 yards on 83 carries for Louisville.
  • Wheeler's path includes five seasons at Howard, going undrafted in 2024, a preseason ACL tear with the Chicago Bears, and a brief 2025 practice-squad stint with the New Orleans Saints.
  • The signing is a low-risk, high-upside move that creates a competition for depth behind starters James Cook, Ty Johnson, and Ray Davis and may require Wheeler to surpass Frank Gore Jr. to make the final roster.