The interior of the Buffalo Bills’ defensive line has several holes, and a former starter in the AFC East could be able to fill one of them.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi visited Buffalo on Wednesday as planned. The 29-year-old roadblock, who was cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars a few days ago, seems to have a number of suitors. After being cut, Fatukasi can join with any other NFL team right away.
Fatukasi spent the previous two years with the Jaguars, making 30 games (29 starts). The 2018 sixth-round draft pick played four seasons with the New York Jets before moving to Jacksonville.
Before making a big money in free agency, the 318-pound Fatukasi started 15 games for New York in 2021. The UConn-educated player from Empire State has made a name for himself as a run stuffer who can tackle many blockers in a single play. Over the last five seasons, Fatukasi has made at least 24 tackles. He’s accounted for 19 quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks in 75 career games.
The only defensive tackles under contract for the Bills right now are starter Ed Oliver and practice squad stand-in Eli Ankou. Although there appears to be a shared desire to come to a deal with DaQuan Jones, Buffalo will definitely bring in one or more new players this summer to bolster the position group.
Fatukasi offers initial experience upfront, possibly for a fair price. In 2022, he signed a three-year contract with the Jaguars that was supposedly for $30 million, but his market value has probably since declined considerably. To put things in perspective, Jones made $14.5 million during the course of his two-year deal, which ended this offseason.
