Jets Sign RB Raheem Blackshear as Bills Line Tightens for Week 18

With only one game remaining on the schedule, the New York Jets made a quiet but telling roster move Tuesday, adding running back and return specialist Raheem Blackshear to the practice squad ahead of their Week 18 road finale against the Buffalo Bills.

The Jets announced the signing on Tuesday, confirming that Blackshear, 26, joins the organization after spending most of his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers. Listed at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds, Blackshear entered the league in 2022 as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills, beginning his rookie season on Buffalo’s practice squad. He played collegiately at Rutgers and Virginia Tech before earning his first NFL opportunity.

In September 2022, Carolina signed Blackshear to its active roster. During his rookie season, he appeared in 13 games and made one start, scoring three rushing touchdowns. His role continued over the next two seasons, and by the time Carolina waived him in August of 2025, Blackshear had appeared in 41 games across three seasons, with two starts. Over that span, he recorded 52 rushing attempts for 203 yards, averaged 3.9 yards per carry, and scored three rushing touchdowns. He also added 16 receptions for 138 yards.

Blackshear was frequently used on special teams during his time with the Panthers. In three seasons, he returned 23 punts for 200 yards and handled 66 kickoff returns for 1,734 yards. He did not score a touchdown on special teams. After being waived by Carolina, he spent time earlier this season on the practice squads of the Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the Jets.

The move came as the Jets dealt with uncertainty in the running back room following their Week 17 loss to the New England Patriots. After that game, head coach Aaron Glenn said rookie running back Isaiah Davis was set to enter the NFL’s concussion protocol, while Breece Hall briefly exited the game with a knee injury. When Glenn spoke on Monday, December 29, he did not provide further updates on either player’s status.

Hall addressed the injury after the game. ESPN’s Rich Cimini posted on X on December 28, 2025, that Hall said his knee was fine and that he did not think additional testing would be needed. Hall also surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in a season for the first time in his career during that game.

Breece Hall says his knee is fine and doesn’t think he’ll need testing. #jets

— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) December 28, 2025

The roster developments came as sportsbooks adjusted betting lines for Sunday’s game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. DraftKings opened the matchup with the Bills favored by 12.5 points. FanDuel initially listed Buffalo as an 11.5-point favorite. As the week progressed, DraftKings moved the spread to Bills -7, FanDuel adjusted to Bills -7.5, and both BetMGM and Caesars listed Buffalo as a seven-point favorite. DraftKings listed the Jets’ moneyline at +260.

The total also moved during the week. An opening over-under of 39.5 dropped to 38.5 at DraftKings and FanDuel, while BetMGM listed the total at 38. Reporting tied the line movement to expectations that Buffalo could rest starters in the regular-season finale.

Player prop odds posted during the week included James Cook at +2200 to score three or more touchdowns, Breece Hall at +4000, and Josh Allen at +6000. Analytical projections cited by CBS Sports showed SportsLine simulations with Buffalo covering a seven-point spread in 64 percent of runs. Covers’ AI picks listed Bills -7 and over 38, with odds attributed to FanDuel.

Before completing the signing, the Jets worked out several running backs on Tuesday, December 30. One scheduled participant, Sincere McCormick, did not attend. NFL insider Aaron Wilson posted on X at 8:37 a.m. on December 30, 2025, that McCormick was scheduled to work out for the Jets but was stuck in Chicago due to a canceled flight to New York. The Jets proceeded with the workout and finalized the addition of Blackshear.

Running back Sincere McCormick was scheduled to workout for #Jets this morning, per league source, but got stuck at Chicago due to cancelled flight to New York

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) December 30, 2025

The Jets enter the finale with a 3–13 record, while Buffalo stands at 11–5. The addition of Blackshear provides depth at running back and on special teams as New York prepares for the final game of the 2025 season.