What Josh Allen said about Bills re-signing DTs Quinton Jefferson and Jordan Phillips

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen spoke about his team's decision to bring back two familiar defensive tackles.

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Though some members of the Western New York faithful still haven’t gotten used to the Buffalo Bills boasting one of the NFL’s most dynamic players as their franchise centerpiece, quarterback Josh Allen is very much a veteran at this point of his career.

He’s midway through his seventh season and has developed into the club’s unequivocal leader, accomplishing a fair bit on the field as he’s dragged Buffalo from the depths of irrelevancy into perennial contention. At 28 years of age, he’s by no means in or near the twilight of his career, but he’s been around the proverbial block; he’s seen his fair share of roster turnover over the past seven years, as is the case with any NFL player who stays with one particular team for an extended period of time.

Related: Why DT Quinton Jefferson was eager to rejoin Bills after Browns release

It’s this constant turnover that makes the occasional reunion all the more special, and Allen was greeted by a few familiar faces upon checking into One Bills Drive this week. The Bills re-signed defensive tackles Quinton Jefferson and Jordan Phillips on Wednesday after their Tuesday releases from the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys, respectively, marking the starts of their second and third stints with the club.

Jefferson spent the 2020 season in Orchard Park, recording 23 tackles, three sacks, and 30 pressures (per PFF) in his short Buffalo stint. Phillips previously played with the team from 2018–2019 and 2022–2023, tallying 85 tackles and 13.5 sacks in 54 appearances. Both defenders are familiar with Buffalo’s defensive scheme and general team culture, with their re-introduction to the organization, per Allen, only figuring to help the team both on and off the field.

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“Big bodies, number one,” Allen said. “The familiarity with what we’ve got going on here in Buffalo and type of men that we have in this locker room. They’ve been playing really good football; I think Q had 10-plus sacks last year, if I recall correctly. I know Phil hasn’t been playing much this year with an injury, but glad to have those two back. They’ve been, again, good locker room guys for us, and they’ll make an immediate impact on the field.”

Jefferson did not record 10-plus sacks in 2023, but he did record a career-high six quarterback takedowns with the New York Jets. He had recorded one sack and six total pressures before his release from the Browns this season, with both he and Phillips figuring to provide a boost to a Buffalo defensive line that could use more consistent pass-rushing production from its interior.

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