The Buffalo Bills won't have to keep calling Greg Dortch up from the practice squad.
He's officially on the roster.
The Bills signed Dortch to their 53-man roster Friday and placed defensive back Jordan Hancock on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
Dortch had been elevated from the practice squad for each of Buffalo's first two games and has served as the team's primary return specialist.
He has returned five punts for 46 yards and five kickoffs for 133 yards while playing 18 special teams snaps. Dortch has played only four snaps on offense.
The move comes with D.J. Moore and Keon Coleman both listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
NFL teams can elevate an individual practice-squad player for a maximum of
three regular-season games before signing him to the active roster is required for him to play again.
Dortch, 28, joined Buffalo's practice squad Aug. 31 after spending the previous five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He averaged 11.6 yards on 16 punt returns for the Cardinals last season, ranking 11th in the NFL. Dortch signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions in the offseason but was released during final roster cuts in August.
His role through two games with Buffalo has been almost exclusively on special teams. Dortch has averaged 9.2 yards on his five punt returns and 26.6 yards on five kickoff returns in two games with the Bills.
Hancock had already been ruled out for Sunday's game because of a hamstring injury. The defensive back was limited in Wednesday's practice before sitting out Thursday and Friday.
Hancock appeared in each of Buffalo's first two games and recorded five tackles. He played 13 defensive snaps and 42 special teams snaps.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills sign veteran receiver to 53-man roster, place defensive back on IR
