Steelers Now
Former Pittsburgh Steelers punter Cameron Johnston is signing with the Buffalo Bills, according to a report by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Johnston was surprisingly released by the Steelers as the team made its final cuts down to 53 players in late August. He had signed a three-year, $9 million free agent contract with the Steelers in 2024, but played just one game after suffering a serious knee injury in last year’s season opener against the Atlanta Falcons.
Johnston rehabbed the injury and appeared to return to full strength with the Steelers this offseason, but ended up losing the job to Waitman, who signed with the team as his injury replacement in 2024.
Waitman punted four times for 190 yards, a 47.5 yards per punt average, and placed one kick inside the 20-yard line for the Steelers in the season opener against the New York Jets on Sunday.
In Buffalo, Johnston will replace Brad Robbins, who is being waived. Robbins was expected to be in a competition with Taylor Camarda this training camp, but Camarda was released before the start of camp.
Oftentimes, NFL teams wait until after Week 1 to sign vested veterans, because their contracts are automatically guaranteed if they’re on opening-week rosters.
Johnston, 33, first joined the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State. He won Super Bowl LII with the Eagles in 2018, and then moved on to the Houston Texans from 2021-23. He led the NFL in punting yards in 2021 with Houston.
The Steelers will host the Bills in Week 13 on Nov. 30 at Acrisure Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Buffalo Bills Snap Up Surprisingly Released Steelers Punter
