Going into the 2025 offseason, there was one thing that every Bills fan knew. They were going to have to address the pass defense. And as McBeane has often said, “It starts in the trenches.”
Defensive tackle was a particularly weak point last year. The starting tackles Ed Oliver and Daquan Jones only had 4.5 sacks combined, only 52 combined total tackles, and only 10 tackles for loss. Just to put that in perspective, AJ Epenesa beat them in sacks by himself, Cam Lewis beat them in tackles, and Rasul Douglas had as many TFLs as either defensive tackle.
If the Bills were going to take another step forward, they would have to retool on the interior of the defensive line. Add in the fact that there were only 5 DTs on the roster going into Free Agency, and two of them were named Zion Logue and Branson Deen, and you knew the Bills were going to bring in more beef to the middle of the line.
Enter Larry Ogunjobi. The Buffalo Bills, on the first day of Free Agency, signed Ogunjobi to a 1-year 8.3 million dollar contract, with 8 million guaranteed. At 6’3″ and 305 lbs, with over 124 games played, Ogunjobi should bring additional veteran presence to a very young rotation at DT.
Early Life and Background
Ogunjobi was born as Olumide Larry Ogunjobi to Nigerian immigrants Larry and Mercy Ogunjobi, who moved to Livingston, New Jersey. He played his high school ball for the Ragsdale Tigers in Charlotte, North Carolina, but failed to receive much interest with no national ranking, and walked on to the Charlotte 49ers, his local college.
He had a unique opportunity to be a part of the very first football team Charlotte sported, redshirting during his freshman year as the college prepared to start the new team. He double majored in Computer science and biology, earning a degree in computer science while contributing 217 tackles, 49 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, and 33 QB hits across his four years. In his Senior year, he was ranked first by Pro Football Focus in the FBS in run-stop percentage. His 49 TFL was good for 8th out of all eligible players. He started and played in all 46 out of 46 possible games. His stellar performance finally earned the attention of NFL scouts, and he was invited to the 2017 Combine.
In the combine, his natural athleticism stood out as he ran a 4.97 40-yard dash at 305 lbs. He also lifted 225 lbs in the bench press 26 times, hit a 32″ vertical jump, and leaped for a 116″ broad jump. He was selected in the 3rd round at 65 overall.
As an NFL player
His rookie year was largely a development year, but in 2018, he went on a run of starting every game he played in across 6 seasons with 3 different teams.
With the Cleveland Browns, he put up 14.5 sacks, 180 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and 27 QB hits over 4 seasons. He opted to test free agency, signing with the Cincinnati Bengals. During the 2021 season with the Bengals, he started all 16 games, putting up 7 sacks, 49 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 16 QB hits.
In the 2022 offseason, he was signed by the Chicago Bears, but they voided the contract after he failed a physical. Speculation by the Cincinnati press reflected on the fact that he was still in the process of recovering from a foot injury suffered during a January Game against the Raiders. It took until June for the Pittsburgh Steelers to pick him up, signing him to a 1 year 8 million dollar deal.
He rewarded them by starting all 16 games in the 2022 season and all 17 games in the 2023 season. During his tenure with the Steelers, he played next to T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward, producing 6 sacks, 132 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 26 QB hits.
In 2024, he was nominated by the team as their Nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year. The man volunteered for absolutely everything. From distributing backpacks and supplies as schools, to handing out turkeys at a Thanksgiving dinner, to founding his own foundation, he prides himself on giving back to the community where he is planted.
What He Could Bring to the Bills
Ogunjobi brings a higher base of production as a big body who has played both tackle positions. He has surprising athleticism and will bring a veteran presence to a room that is likely to get much younger before the offseason is over. He should benefit from the rotation that Buffalo employs and should compete for a starting spot with Daquan Jones. He demonstrates a great swim move, a relentless motor, impressive hand fighting, and produces interior pressure.
I cannot overstate how important that is. Whether it is to force a QB to throw too quickly or to contact the running back on an inside run, the Bills appear to have recognized their flaws from last year and have hand-selected Ogunjobi to do what they could not do: to rush from the interior and create pressure. He is not a perfect DT and may not be a long-term answer, but his skill set is the perfect value addition to an underperforming position group.
He and other notable addition Michael Hoecht should bring an explosiveness and pressure that will help the Bills in the 2025 season.
Look for the Bills to continue to add to this group in the draft with a strong D-line draft class.
Prediction: 42% of snaps, 2 sacks, 30 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 8 QB Hits