Kareem Jackson signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday, giving the defensive back an opportunity to go where only three other Alabama alumni have gone before – a 15th NFL season.

The Bills announced the addition of Jackson on Tuesday morning after Buffalo coach Sean McDermott said on Monday that safety Mike Edwards had a hamstring injury that would be evaluated weekly going forward through the preseason.

Jackson entered the NFL in 2010 as a first-round draft pick fromAlabama’s undefeated 2009 BCS national-championship team. He spent his first nine NFL seasons as a cornerback for the Houston Texans. After signing as a free agent with the Denver Broncos for the 2019 season, Jackson transitioned to safety.

The only former Alabama players who have appeared in regular-season games in at least 15 NFL seasons. Quarterback Bart Starr played in 16 from 1956 through 1971, and punter Chris Mohr and quarterback Ken Stabler appeared in 15 apiece.

Among Crimson Tide alumni, only Mohr, Howard Cross and Cornelius Bennett have played in more NFL regular-season games than Jackson’s 203 and only Bennett has started more games than Jackson’s 193. Mohr has appeared in 239 regular-season games, Howard Cross 2007 and Bennett 206. Bennett started 204 games.

Jackson reached a career high with 94 tackles in 2022. But in Denver’s first 14 games of the 2023 season, Jackson started eight and was suspended for six.

On Oct. 23, the NFL suspended Jackson for four games for a hit in the Broncos’ 19-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers the previous day. On the third snap of the fourth quarter, Jackson brought down Packers tight end Luke Musgrave with what was judged a helmet-to-helmet hit at the end of an 18-yard reception. Jackson was penalized for unnecessary roughness and disqualified from further participation.

Jackson appealed the suspension to the hearing officers jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFL Players Association to decide appeals of on-field player discipline, who reduced the suspension to two games.

On Nov. 20, the NFL suspended Jackson for four games for unnecessary roughness for his hit on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs on the third snap of the Broncos’ 21-20 victory the previous day. Denver recovered Dobbs’ fumble on the Vikings 30-yard line and got to keep it since no penalty was called.

Jackson appealed the suspension, but the NFL’s decision was upheld this time.

Jackson had been fined by the NFL four times for unnecessary roughness in the first six weeks of the 2023 season. Twice the fines stemmed from penalties called on the field. The NFL fined Jackson $14,819 in Week 1, $19,669 in Week 2, $11,473 in Week 3 and $43,709 in Week 6.

In Denver’s 35-33 loss to Washington on Sept. 17, Jackson was penalized and ejected for a hit on Commanders tight end Logan Thomas on a touchdown reception with 1:47 left in the first half.

After Jackson returned from his second suspension last season, Denver never reactivated the defensive back. When the Broncos waived Jackson, the Texans claimed him. Jackson played in the final two games of the regular season and a playoff contest with Houston.

Jackson had been an unrestricted free agent since March 13.

Buffalo begins its three-game preseason schedule on Aug. 10 against the Chicago Bears and kicks off its regular-season slate on Sept. 8 against the Arizona Cardinals.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.