Former star Zack Moss signs NFL contract with the Buffalo Bills

Announced on Monday, June 15, former Utah running back Zack Moss inked his four-year NFL contract with the Buffalo Bills

Zack Moss is trading one snow-packed winter for another after the Buffalo Bills drafted him with the 86th overall pick of the third round in the NFL draft.

It's a great fit for Moss, who should see early playing time in the replacement of veteran Frank Gore, who the Bills did not re-sign following the completion of his one season with the team.

It's now official that Moss will be suiting up for the Buffalo Bills as it was announced on Monday that Moss and the Bills came to terms on his four-year rookie contract.

Signed. Sealed. Delivered.

Zack Moss is officially a Buffalo Bill: https://t.co/JCMcmVEsfF pic.twitter.com/WU5xW2gsB1

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) June 15, 2020

Moss joins defensive end A.J. Epenesa, wide receiver Gabriel Davis, quarterback Jake Fromm, wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins, kicker Tyler Bass and cornerback Dane Jackson to sign their contracts. Buffalo has now signed its entire rookie drafted class.

According to a league source, Moss' contract is for a four-year deal worth $4,522,081 — which included a $914,420 signing bonus.

Moss is the perfect replacement for Gore, and he specializes in a lot of the roles Gore held with the Bills, just in a much younger body.

“Correct me if I’m wrong but I think [Moss] had zero fumbles [in his college career]. You like the ball security. ... There were a couple guys in this draft that had some really good plays but were issues, we had concerns with the ball security,” general manager Brandon Beane told beat reporters. “I love his physicality. I like that he takes care of the ball. So, you know I think more of the goal line and things like that as we did with Frank last year, you’ll see Zack do."

His physical running style will pair very well with quarterback Josh Allen and the speedy Singletary, making for a very dangerous combination in the backfield for Buffalo. And when you combine the offseason addition of wide receiver Stephon Diggs with above-average slot receiver Cole Beasley and the Bills' offense is looking dangerous.

If Moss would've come out after his junior year, he probably would've been a second round pick at the least. Alas, that wasn't in the cards.

A knee injury that required surgery ended his 2018 season early and forced Moss to return to Utah, where he set 6 school records, including career rushing yards (4,167), career rushing touchdowns (38) and career total touchdowns (41). He's also tied two school records, including season rushing touchdowns (15).

The @buffalobills have signed RB Zack Moss (3rd round, 86th overall) to his four-year rookie contract. pic.twitter.com/BXzYx0VgiM

— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) June 15, 2020

Also, behind the strength of Buffalo's offensive line, Moss should be the go-to back in the fourth quarter when the Bills have the lead and want to bleed the clock. His ability to run through the tackles and keep hold of the ball are huge assets to any team looking to close out games.

“Zack, I think he’s a very good complement to Devin. Devin has that shiftiness. Zack’s gonna be more of that banging in there. Not that he can’t dodge, but he’s going to lower that shoulder and try to, a little bit like Frank did at an older age for us,” said Beane. “He’s going to be more of the physical [type]. He’s not necessarily going to try to avoid contact. He can but I think his best thing is, in the end, [physicality].”

The best guess is that Singletary will begin the season getting a 60-40/55-45 advantage in carries, especially as the Bills figure out what works best for them. This also keeps both players fresh for much longer while bringing Moss along slowly since he won't get a full offseason is due to the COVID-19 pandemic.