A day before free agency officially opens, the Buffalo Bills continued to reach agreements with different free agents. Seattle defensive end Quinton Jefferson and Panthers defensive lineman Vernon Butler are on their way to Western New York. Both players have signed multi-year deals with the team and bring depth to a defense that is already a top unit in the league.
NFL’s Ian Rapoport was the first one on the report of both signings.
The #Bills are expected to sign #Seahawks DE Quinton Jefferson to a 2-year deal, source said. An underrated starter in Seattle.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 18, 2020
Buffalo isn’t done. Former #Panthers first-round DT Vernon Butler is headed to the #Bills, source said. He gets two years for roughly $16M on a deal that can be worth up to $18M. Of that, $9.3M is guaranteed. Another Carolina to BUF connection…
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 18, 2020
Jefferson comes from the Seahawks where he served as a productive rational player under Pete Carroll. He racked up 14 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2019 but was great at stopping the run. He also added on ten quarterback hits. Jefferson adds versatility on the defensive line with his ability to play inside and out. Plus, he is only 26 years old with a lot to prove.
Butler, a former Panther (is anyone surprised?) is coming off the best year of his career. He recorded 32 tackles (seven of them for a loss), six sacks and three forced fumbles. With the loss of Jordan Phillips to Arizona, Butler fills in that role in the middle of the trenches.
With both of these signings, the Bills now have signed six defensive players that are going to compete come training camp. Brandon Beane continues to make the moves to take the Bills to the next level. Stay tuned for more potential moves.
