Bills sign new punter to replace injured Cameron Johnston

The Buffalo Bills have signed a new punter to replace the injured Cameron Johnston.

With Johnston going down with ankle/foot injuries in the fourth quarter of the Bills’ Week 4 win over the New Orleans Saints, Buffalo has brought in Mitch Wishnowsky to assume punting duties. The signing was first reported by Draft Diamonds, while the team later provided its own announcement, which included Johnston's placement on injured reserve.

Oct 6, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers punter Mitch Wishnowsky (3) after the game against the Arizona Cardinals | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Wishnowsky is a former 2019 fourth-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers, spending six seasons with the 49ers before he was released this May when the team replaced him with veteran punter Thomas Morstead.

In his six years in San Francisco, Wishnowsky recorded a net average of 40.7 yards per punt, with his worst season coming in 2024, when he finished the year with a scant net average of 36.3 yards per punt in nine games played. He sustained a significant back injury in November of last year, which caused him to miss the final eight games of the season.

MORE: Sean McDermott updates status of Max Hairston, Tyler Bass, other Bills players on IR

The Bills began the year with Brad Robbins as their punter, but released the veteran after a Week 1 performance in which he finished with a suboptimal 38 yards per punt on four punts.

Johnston didn’t fare much better in his three games after replacing Robbins, as he averaged an even worse net average of 37.9 on seven punts. Johnston was injured this past Sunday, when New Orleans Saints linebacker Nephi Sewell crashed hard into his lower body before being flagged for roughing the kicker.

Sep 18, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills punter Cameron Johnston (16) is roughed by Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler (92) resulting in a first down | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Wishnowsky, 33, will make his Bills debut in Week 5, when Buffalo (4-0) takes on the New England Patriots (2-2) on Sunday at 8:20 p.m. Whiteout conditions are expected in the stands at Highmark Stadium.

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