Patriots Sign Veteran DT to Bolster Defense After Seahawks Loss

The New England Patriots have added to their defensive unit after just one week in the new NFL season.

New England is signing veteran defensive tackle DaQuan Jones to a one-year deal that is worth up to $6 million. Jones can make up to this amount, but his base salary will be $3.5 million to start.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported the news of the signing. Rapoport mentioned that Jones could be ready to go for the Patriots before their Week 2 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers

Jones was originally drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. The former Penn State product now joins the Patriots, ready to give the team a little more help up front in the trenches on defense.

New England wanted to add some more depth to the defensive tackle position, while gaining some experience here. Jones will likely become the fourth defensive tackle on the roster, behind starters Milton Williams and Cory Durden, with Christian Barmore as the third option.

Patriots fans may know Jones from his time with the Buffalo Bills. Jones played for Buffalo between 2022-25. During his time with Buffalo, Jones recorded 10 sacks, 99 total tackles, one interception, and one forced fumble, playing in 51 games.

Now with the Patriots, Jones will help this defensive unit add more pressure to the quarterback as the season goes on. The 34-year-old is likely to be used as a depth piece mainly, but he could provide some insurance to the Patriots in case of any injury taking place.

This is a strong move from New England, helping to bolster the tackle position early in the year. The Patriots want to make sure that the defense holds up throughout the long regular season, and this signing can help.

New England dropped the opening game of the season to the Seattle Seahawks, with the team blowing a 10-0 lead in the second half. Quarterback Drake Maye threw three interceptions after halftime, leading to the Seattle comeback.

It was a tough loss to open the year for the Patriots, but one that the team will learn from as the season moves along. New England is still expected to be a contender in the AFC, with the goal being to get back to the Super Bowl.

The Patriots will make their home debut this week against Pittsburgh, giving them a chance to grab their first win of the year in front of the New England faithful.