As Jones is returning from a significant injury, McDermott expressed the Bills’ patient approach in reintegrating the defensive tackle back into their defensive game plan. “I think the biggest thing is managing expectations in terms of what he’s able to do,” McDermott said. “I think a lot of times you see a player come back and all of a sudden it’s like everyone else goes, ‘okay, we can relax.’ We have to manage expectations with how much he’s going to be able to play and what he’s going to be able to do in just his first game back after [10 games].”
Jones went down in the Bills’ Week 5 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, and his return bulks up the Buffalo defensive front ahead of their Week 17 matchup against the New England Patriots. Jones had 2.5 sacks and 10 total tackles before the injury and started all five games before going down in London.
With defensive tackle Jordan Phillips undergoing surgery for a wrist injury acquired against Dallas, Jones’ return will add depth to a defensive front that has been among the best in the league this season. The Bills’ 50 percent win rate in the pass rush ranks fourth in the NFL. Jones’ strength as a run stopper will help the Bills improve their run prevention defense, which holds the 20th-best win rate in the NFL.
