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DaQuan Jones is returning to the Buffalo Bills, sharing the news of his new contract with fans in a two-word statement posted in the early morning hours on Tuesday.
“WE BACK!!!!!,” Jones wrote in a post on X shortly after midnight on March 12, the day after the legal tampering period opened.
Jones had been one of the top free agents for the Bills and was an anchor of their defense in 2023 before suffering a torn pectoral muscle and missing a long stretch of the season. With his return, the Bills bring back a high-impact player while addressing one of the biggest areas of need on defense.
Bills Land DaQuan Jones on Two-Year Deal
Jones’s agency, Athlete’s First, issued a statement on Instagram that shared details of the new contract. Jones is returning to Buffalo on a two-year deal worth $16 million with $10.5 million guaranteed.
As ESPN noted, the Bills had just two defensive tackles under contract prior to the new deal for Jones, veteran Ed Oliver and Eli Ankou, who spent the majority of last season on the practice squad.
Jones had been among the league’s top defensive linemen before his injury last season, registering 2.5 sacks and three tackles for a loss in seven games. Pro Football Focus gave Jones a 90.5 overall grade for the season, which was fifth-best among defensive linemen.
Re-signing Jones was seen as a top priority for the Bills this offseason. The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia noted that the Bills didn’t have a starting option at one technique defensive lineman if Jones were to leave in free agency and keeping the veteran tackle made the most sense for the team.
“Jones is the perfect blend of being an essential defensive piece to the Bills in 2024 while still being cost-effective,” Buscaglia wrote. “Jones is 32 and coming off a long-term injury, which should drive his price down. He thrived in the Bills’ defensive scheme, and knowing how well it worked last year, it could set him up for another chance to get paid next offseason. Of all the re-signing options, Jones is easily the most important for next season.”
Bills Tending to Their Defense
While the Bills did not make any blockbuster moves on the first day of legal tampering ahead of the start of the new league year, they did work on some other areas of their defense. The Bills announced that they agreed to terms with defensive end A.J. Epenesa on a two-year deal. Epenesa is coming off a career-best season where he tied his career-high in sacks (6.5) and set career-highs in tackles (20), passes defended (8) and interceptions (2).
The team also re-signed versatile defensive back Cam Lewis, who could be in line for a bigger role next season after the team parted ways with safety Jordan Poyer and is expected to lose fellow safety Micah Hyde.
As the team noted on its official website, Lewis appeared in all 17 games last season, making 16 total tackles with two passes defended. Lewis was able to play several positions in the secondary and was also a mainstay on special teams.
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