NFL Team Set To Land Veteran Defensive Tackle On One-Year Deal
By 813 Staff
Unlike the last two Septembers, when this front office stood pat on the interior defensive line and bet on youth, the approach this time around is different. League sources confirm the team is expected to sign veteran defensive tackle DaQuan Jones to a one-year deal, a move first reported by Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet). The timing matters. This is a roster that has spent the past month cycling through rotational tackles and asking edge defenders to kick inside on obvious run downs, and those close to the situation say the coaching staff has been pushing for a proven anchor since the final week of the preseason.
Jones, who turns 35 later this year, brings exactly what this group lacks: a wide-body run defender who can hold up at the point of attack and keep linebackers clean. He is not going to light up the sack column, and nobody in the building is pretending otherwise. But the front office has been quietly shopping for a two-down nose since training camp, and the evaluation staff graded Jones as the best remaining option on a thin market. Contract terms were not immediately available, and the team has not officially announced the signing, so treat the one-year structure as reported but not yet finalized.
Why it matters: the run defense has been the softest part of this team through the first month, and opponents have noticed. Those close to the situation say the defensive staff grew frustrated with gap integrity issues that showed up on tape in both preseason games. Adding Jones does not fix the second level, but it gives the coordinator a trustworthy body to build fronts around on early downs. It also buys time for the younger tackles, who have talent but have been asked to do more than they are ready for.
What happens next: Jones will need to pass a physical and get through the paperwork before anything is official, likely in the next 24 to 48 hours. Assuming that clears, expect him to be on the practice field by midweek and active on a limited snap count this weekend. The team still has an open roster spot and, per league sources, could make one more depth move before the deadline. For now, the message from the building is simple: they are done waiting on potential.
