Nothing like signing a guy to a one-year deal and then discovering that he’ll miss 40% of the season
The Buffalo Bills spent some high-end resources on their defensive line this offseason. This is a lead that could have been recycled from essentially any offseason over the last seven years, but it is once again true.
Buffalo signed three big-ticket veterans and spent three premium draft choices on the defensive line. General manager Brandon Beane has arguably been more miss than hit on his defensive line acquisitions throughout his tenure, but no one can say that he isn’t trying to find the perfect combination to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks in the most important times.
In today’s edition of “90 players in 90 days,” we profile a big defensive tackle who could be a big addition to the team — but who could also be the odd man out come August.
Name: Larry Ogunjobi
Number: 99
Position: DT
Height/Weight: 6’2”, 305 pounds
Age: 31 (32 on 6/3/2026)
Experience/Draft: 9; selected by the Cleveland Browns in the third round (No. 65 overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft)
College: Charlotte
Acquired: Signed with Buffalo on 3/14/2025
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Ogunjobi signed a one-year contract worth $6,696,735 overall. The deal includes three void years, as well. For the 2025 season, Ogunjobi’s cap hit is $4,106,684 if he makes the roster. If the Bills release him, they will carry a dead-cap charge of $3,426,735 for the season.
2024 Recap: Ogunjobi was productive, though not exceptionally so, as a rotational player along the defensive front for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s listed as a defensive end for the Steelers last season, but his function in their defense, which was to line up on the outside shoulder of the right guard, translates to a three-tech defensive tackle spot in Buffalo’s defense.
He totaled 41 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 7 quarterback hits, and 1.5 sacks in 15 games, 12 of which were starts. In Pittsburgh’s playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Ogunjobi had two tackles. He missed two games late in the year due to a groin injury.
Positional outlook: Ogunjobi is one of nine defensive tackles on the current roster, and most of those players profile best as three-techs. Ed Oliver, T.J. Sanders, DeWayne Carter, Marcus Harris, DaQuan Jones, Zion Logue, Casey Rogers, and Deone Walker are the other defensive tackles in camp.
2025 Offseason: Ogunjobi is healthy and participating in offseason work. Shortly after his signing was announced, we learned that he will be suspended for the first six games of the 2025 season due to a positive test for PEDs.
2025 Season outlook: Ogunjobi certainly fits what Buffalo does, and he profiles as the type of veteran free-agent addition at defensive tackle Buffalo seeks in terms of being a disruptive, high-motor player. Jordan Phillips and Quinton Jefferson are veterans signed by the Bills who similarly were expected to help bolster the interior pass rush.
However, given that the team also went out and drafted two defensive tackles, one of whom is also a three-tech, disruptive force in the passing game, there’s some question as to who will make the final roster at the end of the preseason. Buffalo obviously can’t keep nine defensive tackles, and really they’re likely to keep a maximum of five, so we have to eliminate at least four players from the current roster.
Looking at the names, it’s easy to assume that Logue, Rogers, and Harris would be three cuts. That leaves the Bills with six defensive tackles, and since Ogunjobi is suspended for the first six games of the season, one could conclude that they’ll merely ride with those six and call it a day, at least through the middle of October.
There are questions, though. Sanders, like 30 of the NFL’s other second-round draft picks, remains unsigned as agents and teams deal with the fallout of the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans giving picks No. 33 and 34, respectively, fully guaranteed deals as if they were first-round draft choices. Buffalo can’t count on Sanders to be up to speed just as they know they can’t count on Ogunjobi in the early portion of the season.
I really don’t know what’s going to happen here. While it’s unlikely, I believe there’s even a situation where Buffalo is happy with its defensive line depth and the brain trust decides to release Ogunjobi before the regular season begins. That would require Sanders to come to camp on time and have a big month of practices.
The only two defensive tackles I’d say are true locks on the 53-man roster are Oliver and Sanders. Walker is either going to be placed on Injured Reserve or be on the roster, so he’d be my next-safest bet. Thanks to his function in the defense, his history of strong play, and his status as a highly respected veteran, DaQuan Jones is another guy I feel confident about being on the roster.
Beyond those four? The Bills have some questions to answer this summer. I assume Ogunjobi will be with the team, but don’t be stunned if he ends up released at the end of August.