Bills Draft Target? T'Vondre Sweat's Stock on Rise at NFL Scouting Combine

The Buffalo Bills could be forced to replace defensive tackle DaQuan Jones this offseason. Is potential replacement T'Vondre Sweat going to be gone by Buffalo's pick?

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane hasn’t been shy about the state of the roster as it heads into an offseason tied to Super Bowl aspirations and the reality of life in the NFL.

Much of the defense is going to hit the open market, and given Buffalo’s limited cap space, some tough decisions will have to be made about who will return for 2024.

One such free agent is defensive tackle DaQuan Jones. His season was off to a stellar start before a pectoral injury held him out for much of the season, but he re-emerged late in the year with a similar style of domination. If he finds greener pastures outside of Western New York, where could the Bills pivot?

Texas Longhorns defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat (93) watches Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) before a snap during the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff semifinals game at the Caesars Superdome on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana :: © Aaron E. Martinez / USA TODAY NETWORK

It shouldn’t be understated how important Jones was to the spine of Buffalo’s defense. Only three starting interior linemen won more of their pass rush reps than Jones, and they’re the usual suspects – Aaron Donald, Dexter Lawrence, and Quinnen Williams. He was also stout against the run, rendering him one of the best players on a defense that played well when healthy.

If Jones leaves, defensive tackle Ed Oliver – fresh off of his own breakout season – would be left without a running mate. Texas defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat may fix that.

Sweat may have lost some mock-draft steam to his teammate Byron Murphy II, but the two offer different skill sets. Sweat, like Jones, is more important to the run defense than Oliver due to his size and ability to soak up double teams.

Measuring in at the NFL Scouting Combine, it’s easy to see him earning love from evaluators. On Thursday, he measured out at 6-4, 366 pounds with a wingspan of 81.25 inches. Simply put, the man is massive. Compared to Philadelphia Eagles tackle Jordan Davis, Sweat is 25 pounds heavier despite being two inches shorter. Davis’ calling card was his size.

Sweat plays with better natural leverage than Davis, who hasn’t yet panned out how Philadelphia expected. While there are distinct limitations due to his size, Sweat is a legitimately promising pass rusher for a nose tackle and can stay on the field for passing downs should defensive coordinator Bobby Babich ask him to.

Even at his size, Sweat tested well, but doing so could put the likelihood he plays for Buffalo in jeopardy. He ran a 5.27 on the 40-yard dash, 1.8 on the 10-yard split, finished 8'2 on the broad jump.

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Right now, Sweat is an acceptable target for the Bills’ second-round pick, but a strong combine could see his stock rise in a similar fashion to Davis. The value of a nose tackle at No. 28 may take some convincing compared to a Day 2 selection, but his impact in the trenches is invaluable.

At this point, Sweat profiles as a strong fit whose stock could very well land between Buffalo’s first two picks, offering Beane the choice of “reaching” for him, trading toward the early second round, or hoping the board falls favorably. Bills Mafia would be smart to watch his athletic testing as the week continues.