Buffalo Rumblings
There’s a new member of the Buffalo Bills running back room — Ian Wheeler.
Most notably on the field as a professional to date, Wheeler won a United Football League title with the Louisville Kings on June 13 and was named the United Bowl MVP after rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown in the championship game.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first on the news of Wheeler’s signing with the Bills:
Wheeler will turn 25 in September and played his college ball at Howard. He was an undrafted free agent in 2024 and signed with the Bears after the draft but was placed in Injured Reserved in August of that year.
He was on the New Orleans Saints practice squad for one week in November last season.
Wheeler possesses classic NFL running back serious and legitimate athleticism. Here are all the pertinent figures from his pro day workout before the 2024 NFL Draft:
For reference, James Cook ran an official 4.42 at the 2022 NFL Combine with a 33-inch vertical and 10’4” broad jump.
In five seasons at Howard, Wheeler only carried the football 177 times. He totaled a massive 1,154 yards on those attempts — 6.5 yards per tote — with 14 rushing touchdowns.
Because the UFL season just ended, there are a scattering of UFL-to-NFL signings happening right now. While Wheeler is of course a long-shot to make Buffalo’s roster, he shouldn’t be totally disregarded as simply a camp body. He’s naturally talented and fresh off a 68-carry, 386-yard season in the UFL.
And at this stage, the Bills could probably use some deep depth at the running back position.
