Bills find Matt Araiza's replacement after team release punter following rape allegations

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The Buffalo Bills on Wednesday found their replacement for Matt Araiza, who they released following a lawsuit which accuses him of raping a 17-year-old at a party while he was at San Diego State.

The Bills signed punter Sam Martin, who was released by the Denver Broncos before the team trimmed their roster down to 53 players. Martin played in 17 games for the Broncos last season. He totaled 3,083 punting yards in 67 punts and averaged 46 yards per punt.

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Sam Martin, #6 of the Denver Broncos, looks on during a game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 21, 2021 in Cleveland. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

Martin spent the last two seasons with the Broncos and before that, seven years with the Detroit Lions. He has played in 139 games during his career. Detroit selected Martin in the fifth round of the 2013 draft.

Araiza’s release came less than a week after the Bills cleared the way to make him their starting punter. The team cut veteran Matt Haack to make way for Araiza.

Sam Martin, #6 of the Denver Broncos, reacts during warmups before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Empower Field at Mile High on August 13, 2022, in Denver. (C. Morgan Engel/Getty Images)

MATT ARAIZA'S RAPE ACCUSER SPEAKS OUT ON 'TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE'

Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane said the team was not aware of the allegations made against Araiza at the time they selected him in the sixth round of the draft in May. He said they would not have selected him had they known.

Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza walks on the sideline during the first half of a preseason NFL football game against