What Bills HC said about the return of DTs Jordan Phillips and Quinton Jefferson

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott spoke about the team's decision to bring back defensive tackles Jordan Phillips and Quinton Jefferson.

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A couple of familiar faces are re-joining the Buffalo Bills, providing depth to a defensive line that has been banged up and underperforming this year. The Bills announced Wednesday morning that they've signed defensive tackles Jordan Phillips and Quinton Jefferson -- both of whom have spent time as starters for the team in previous seasons.

This will be Phillips' third stint with the Bills; the 32-year-old previously spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the team after being claimed off waivers, re-joining the team as a free agent in 2022. He's recorded 85 tackles and 13.5 sacks in parts of four seasons in Buffalo, starting 19 games over that (non-sequential) stretch. He signed with the New York Giants last offseason before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys, who released him on Tuesday after an underwhelming stint.

As for Jefferson, this will be his second time playing for the team. After signing in 2020 and starting four games with Buffalo, Jefferson spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021. He reunited with the Seattle Seahawks, the team with which he spent his first four seasons, in 2022 before signing with the New York Jets in 2023, contributing 34 total tackles, 13 quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and a career-high six sacks. He signed with the Cleveland Browns this year and was active in five games with the team, but was also released on Tuesday.

Bills head coach Sean McDermott commented on the return of both players during his Wednesday media availability, stating that he's not yet sure what role they'll play to close out the season.

"Jordan Phillips, you know, was released from his other team, as was Q," McDermott said. "So who knows where that will go, right? They haven't played a lot, either of them, with their old clubs. So we've got to see if they're in shape and fit to play and just take it one step at a time. So we'll see where that goes."

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McDermott was later asked specifically about the Jefferson signing, and what he might add to the team. "Well, again, remember him from 2020. Been keeping our eyes on him as he's been going through his journey over the last couple of seasons. And not as much tape this year, a little bit more tape last year. Had some production last year, I think it was with the Jets last season. So saw him up close last year, and, you know, again, just taking it one day at a time and just trying to put our best players on the field and put the players in position to succeed."

The team has struggled at times up front defensively this season, particularly against the run. McDermott touched on that in his presser and stated that in order to find consistent success, it starts with a dependable four-man rush. "You have to have the complement of a four-man rush," the sideline boss said. "I think at times it's been really good, and I think at other times it can be better. As you know, winning the line of scrimmage is vastly important to winning in the NFL, [in the] run game or pass game in this case. So that's our base is that four-man rush, and everything stems from that."

It's unclear if the team plans on playing Phillips or Jefferson this week against the Indianapolis Colts. Kickoff is in Indianapolis at 1:00 p.m. this Sunday.

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