ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has signed with the Buffalo Bills, providing the team an experienced backup behind starter Trent Edwards.

The signing, announced by the Bills late Friday night, came on the first day of the NFL's free-agency period and after the former Cincinnati Bengals player spent the day meeting with Bills executives. A seventh-round pick out of Harvard in 2005, Fitzpatrick went 4-7-1 in a career-high 12 starts for the Bengals in place of injured starter Carson Palmer last season.

Fitzpatrick spent his first two seasons with St. Louis before being traded to Cincinnati.

The Bills were in need of an experienced backup to replace J.P. Losman, who wasn't re-signed after his contract expired.