The New England Patriots are expected to sign veteran defensive tackle DaQuan Jones to a one-year contract worth up to $6 million, according to sources who spoke with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Friday.
Contract Details and Role
The 12-year veteran will receive a $3.5 million base salary as part of the agreement. Jones arrives in New England as a proven interior presence, having started all 51 regular-season games he appeared in over the past four seasons with the Buffalo Bills, along with eight postseason contests under former head coach Sean McDermott.
Reunion with Mike Vrabel
The signing reunites Jones with Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. The two spent three seasons together with the Tennessee Titans from 2018 to 2020, when Vrabel served as Tennessee’s head coach. That familiarity should ease Jones’ transition into New England’s defensive scheme.
Depth Chart Impact
Jones joins a defensive tackle room that currently features Milton Williams, Cory Durden, and Christian Barmore at the top of the depth chart. Joshua Farmer and Leonard Taylor III project as the primary backups. The addition provides valuable experience and rotational depth at a position that relies heavily on fresh legs.
Production and Durability
Since 2022, Jones has recorded 10 regular-season sacks and posted a 37% run stop win rate, which ranked sixth on the Bills during that span. His 2023 campaign was interrupted by a torn pectoral muscle that required surgery and forced him to miss 10 games, but he returned to form in 2024.
Career Timeline
A fourth-round selection by the Titans in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Penn State, Jones spent his first seven professional seasons in Tennessee, starting 93 of 99 games played. He played the 2021 season with the Carolina Panthers, starting all 17 games. Across his career, the 34-year-old has accumulated 20 sacks and 372 tackles.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss and Alaina Getzenberg contributed to this report.
