Bills reportedly interested in ‘disruptive’ 310-pound defensive tackle
Although the Buffalo Bills had the No. 6-ranked defense in the NFL in 2022, the team is reportedly interested in adding one of the premier free-agent defensive tackles left on the market.
According to a report from Syracuse.com’s Ryan Talbot, Buffalo is kicking the tires on former Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Poona Ford.
Fellow defensive tackle Ed Oliver carries a $10.75 million cap hit, and per Spotrac, Ford’s projected market value is $9.2 million per season. Fitting the 27-year-old free agent under the salary cap could prove tricky as adding him would necessitate another move or two to become cap compliant, but that’s something Bills general manager Brandon Beane recently hinted that he wasn’t opposed to.
“We’re not necessarily done,” Beane told reporters last week. “There’s still a lot of free agents out there and we’re having conversations. … There could even be more cap casualties (roster cuts) as guys are added.”
Ford, who’s 5-foot-11 and 310 pounds, tied for the fifth-most sacks (three) on the Seahawks in 2022, while adding 35 tackles, 23 pressures, 15 QB hurries, five QB hits and two batted passes. The 27-year-old DT also had 12 defensive stops and 21 tackles in run defense last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Though pricey, the Bills could use another big-bodied run stuffer like Ford in the middle of the defensive line along with Oliver (34 tackles, 2.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, three passes defensed) and DaQuan Jones (38 tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss, one fumble recovery).
The duo were the only Bills defensive linemen to record at least 20 tackles and 15 defensive stops in run defense last season.
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