A second high-profile D-line cap casualty is heading to Buffalo. After agreeing to terms with Joey Bosa on Tuesday night, the Bills have reached a Wednesday-morning agreement with Larry Ogunjobi.
The recent Steelers release will join the Bills on a one-year, $8.3MM deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. Incentives could bump the number to $10MM for Ogunjobi, who spent the past three seasons with the Steelers.
This will be Ogunjobi’s first trip outside the AFC North. The eight-year veteran has played for the Browns, Bengals and Steelers, becoming a quality interior pass rusher. The 108-game career starter will join a Bills team that features Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones at D-tackle. Quinton Jefferson and Jordan Phillips, each acquired in-season last year, are free agents.
Ogunjobi’s sack numbers have tailed off in recent years, but he does have three seasons with at least 5.5. These came with Cleveland and Cincinnati. With Pittsburgh, Ogunjobi tallied six sacks in three combined seasons. The Steelers did see the Cameron Heyward sidekick post 15 tackles for loss and 26 QB hits in that span, one that included the Steelers giving him a three-year, $40.5MM contract. Ogunjobi became a release candidate, however, and Pittsburgh cut bait with a season left on the contract.
Working as a starter for the Bengals team that eventually ventured to Super Bowl LVI, Ogunjobi suffered a season-ending foot injury during the team’s wild-card win. An ensuing physical led the Bears to nix a deal with the former Browns third-rounder the following March, as Ogunjobi landed in Pittsburgh on a one-year, $8MM deal. He played well enough to command the above-referenced Steelers extension, and enough of a market formed over the past two days to bring the Bills past $8MM.
Playing on an extension he signed in 2023, Oliver operates as Buffalo’s top interior pass rusher. The former first-round pick posted a career-high 9.5 sacks in 2023 and has combined to deliver 29 QB hits over the past two seasons. Jones, conversely, is the Bills’ top interior run stuffer. It would stand to reason Ogunjobi will play behind this duo as a high-end reserve option. This is certainly a lot to pay such a player, pointing to Bills confidence Ogunjobi can excel as a frequently used second-stringer.
Ogunjobi’s career-high sack total (seven) came with the Bengals in 2021, and he combined for 20 TFLs between the 2018 and ’19 seasons as a Brown. Chosen in the same draft as Cleveland added Myles Garrett, Ogunjobi has never been an advanced metrics darling. But the 48.3 overall grade he received from Pro Football Focus for his 2024 work was especially low and positioned him as the 94th-best interior DL out of 118 qualifiers. Still, the Bills will bet he has quality football left.
Bills are making good under the radar moves. Low risk, potentially high reward. I like it.
I still held out a small glimmer of hope for Hendrickson trade – knowing it was unlikely.
This move kills that hope – but it doesn’t have to be a bad move.
Im a fan of these low risk one year deals, and we definitely needed someone to mitigate Daquans age.
This doesn’t stop me from drafting am interior DL guy either.
As you said, I think its a sneaky good move.
You don’t need Trey Hendrickson
I think teams are slowly realizing the era of high profile pass rushers is becoming a thing of the past. Where team use too have 1 or 2 high profile pass rushers teams are starting to figure out you need to be able to put out a rotation of pass rushers these days with mobile QBs on the edges and inside.
I mean eagles leading pass rusher last year was Josh swear at 8 but had many guys capable of getting pressure as evident by the Super Bowl.
Need?
Imagine a front 4 on 3rd down of Bosa and Hendrickson on the edge, with Oliver and Groot up the middle!
All game? They will wear down and be less effective as the game goes on.
Which is why it’s important to have depth and keep guys fresh. Spending big money on guys comes at the cost of depth.
Oline doesn’t change guys out. So while you’re able to be 7 deep or 8 deep on pass rushers the oline will wear down faster.
3rd down is what I said.
Im also very aware of the concept you are regurgitating to me.
So one play out of 4? Huh think youd want to get pressure and disrupt a QB or get to a RB on 1st down and 2nd down and have them in 3rd and long instead of 3rd and short where QBs can do quick throws to negate Hendrickson, Bosa, and whatever else you have pass rush wise.
But you do you.
Disagree this time. In all his time here, I can remember two big plays that weren’t in exhibition season. This is the Bills adding depth, nothing more. If this guy couldn’t stay on a team that desperately needs D-linemen, what else can you say?
Yea he’s pretty terrible…
Setting expectations: are we expecting Aaron Donald, or a guy who can take some reps and fill space?
The price tag seems high, but everything is right now, and it is a need.
Its a nice depth signing – and we don’t need to be overly excited about it, but recognize we need someone there.
Its a one year deal. No commitment. Its perfectly fine.
The Bills folded on 3 down in the playoffs. This signing is about passing situations on 3rd down. This guy is a disruptor. He’s similar to Oliver in how he’s best utilized, and will be Ed’s sub, as well as play alongside him on obvious passing downs.
I realize his pass rush stats in Pittsburgh don’t show that, but I think its scheme more than anything else. Pittsburgh runs a 3-4, and this guy isn’t a true Nose, nor is he the guy you want to set the edge.
The Bills pass rush has leveled up this offseason.
The Bills folded on third down all season long.
I don’t know the stats on that, but I would bet close to worst in the league.
They got lucky with turnovers last year too. (There is some luck involved)
300lb guy who will probably split reps with Daquan – not be counted on to start. This isn’t the worst idea.