The Patriots are expected to sign free agent defensive tackle DaQuan Jones to a one-year deal worth up to $6 million, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Friday. Jones, a 12-year veteran, will be paid a $3.5 million base salary, sources said.
Jones has been a consistent starting defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills over the last four seasons, starting all 51 regular season games he played in for ex-coach Sean McDermott's defense, in addition to playing in eight postseason games. He had 10 regular season sacks with the Bills and a 37% run stop win rate, sixth-best on the team during that timeframe.
Jones, 34, played for Patriots coach Mike Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans from 2018 to 2020. He joins a defensive tackle position that includes Milton Williams, Cory Durden and Christian Barmore at the top of the depth chart, with Joshua Farmer and Leonard Taylor III as top backups.
Originally a fourth-round pick by the Titans in 2014 out of Penn State, Jones spent the first seven years of his career with Tennessee, starting 93 of 99 games played. He spent the 2021 season with the Carolina Panthers, playing and starting in all 17 games. He has 20 sacks and 372 tackles in his career.
