DaQuan Jones pleading for the Bills to sign this free agent

It's no secret that the Buffalo Bills are short-staffed in the interior of their defensive line. They re-signed DaQuan Jones, and Ed Oliver is of course returning after he signed an extension last season. But who else do the Bills have at defensive tackle who is under contract? The answer to that question is none. After Jones and Oliver, the Bills do not have any other defensive interior players on the roster.

So, it's a foregone conclusion they will be adding more either through next month's NFL Draft or free agency. However, the most likely answer is Buffalo will bring in new blood from both avenues. There are some options in the draft and we will discuss those more in-depth in later write-ups, but DaQuan Jones has some thoughts on who the Bills should sign through free agency. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Jones commented that defensive tackle Austin Johnson would look great in a Buffalo Bills uniform.

Who is Austin Johnson and is he a good fit for the Buffalo Bills?

Austin Johnson is 6'4", weighs 314 pounds, and is 29 years old. The Tennessee Titans initially drafted him in the 2016 NFL Draft with the 43rd overall selection. He spent his first four seasons with the Titans, after which he signed a free agent deal with the New York Giants in 2020. He remained with the Giants for two seasons, joined the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022, and is now looking for a new home for the 2024 season.

He missed half of the 2022 season due to injury but returned last season and started all 17 games. He recorded 46 total tackles last year, which was his second-highest total of his career. He didn't have any sacks but had 16 total pressures. He's never been a big sack producer, with 3.5 being his career high, however, he's a solid anchor in the middle of the defensive line. The Bills need defensive tackles and Austin Johnson would be a good addition to their rotation.