Bills' punter aces first assignment less than one week off couch, TNF next up

Punter Cameron Johnston earned a positive review from head coach Sean McDermott after his Buffalo Bills' debut.

Aug 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers punter Cameron Johnston (5) punts against the Houston Texans | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills made a change at punter following their season opener, and they may have found an instant upgrade.

The Bills signed Cameron Johnston out of his living room on Tuesday and plugged him into regular season game action on Sunday for the first time since the 2024 opener when he suffered a season-ending injury with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"Didn't feel like we were where we needed to be maybe," said head coach Sean McDermott prior to the Week 2 road game. "Like anything else, we're always looking to see how we can improve."

While Buffalo didn't need the 33-year-old Johnston early or often in a 30-10 win over the New York Jets, his three kicks did what the Bills' coaching staff wanted them to do.

Dec 10, 2023; East Rutherford, NJ; Houston Texans punter Cameron Johnston (11) punts the ball against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Bills have placed a high value on directional punting and the kicker's ability to limit quality return opportunities. Angling toward the sidelines, Johnston allowed a total of 11 return yards and placed two of the punts inside the Jets' 20-yard line.

"Had a few punts yesterday as well, towards the end of the game. I thought Cam did a good job and did a good job putting that one near the sideline there in the fourth quarter," said Bills' head coach Sean McDermott.

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While the hope is the Bills won't need him to do much other than hold for kicker Matt Prater, it's worth monitoring how Johnston performs within Highmark Stadium when the Miami Dolphins visit for Thursday Night Football on September 18. He may only get a handful of opportunities. Buffalo punted a total of four times over two games against Miami last season.

For his career, the Aussie-born Johnston has appeared in 97 regular season games, averaging 47.2 yards per punt. He owns a 42.2 net punting average.

Sep 8, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge (12) looks at Pittsburgh Steelers punter Cameron Johnston (5) in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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