The Jets signed former Bills TE Shawn Nelson to their 53-man roster on Monday and added four players to their practice squad.

Nelson, a fourth-round pick in 2009, had 17 catches for 156 yards and a touchdown in 12 starts in his rookie season. He served a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy last season and played in only five games.

The Jets signed OL Matt Kroul and Dennis Landolt, TE Jamarko Simmons and LB Ricky Sapp to the practice squad.

Sapp was a fifth-round pick out of Clemson by the Eagles in 2010 but he has not played in an NFL game.

The way we see it

The Jets already have received positive returns from kicking the tires on another former Bill — OLB Aaron Maybin — and are trying their luck again with Nelson, who was a bust in Buffalo. The hope is that Nelson can be a second receiving tight end to replace Jeff Cumberland, who is on injured reserve.