Buffalo Bills sign exciting rookie DT ahead of Week 9 matchup with Kansas City Chiefs

The Bills brought in added insurance in the defensive trenches with injuries piling up at the defensive tackle position.

Aug 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Rasheen Ali (26) runs with the ball as Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Tommy Akingbesote (92) defends during the second half at AT&T Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

With injuries mounting at the defensive tackle position, the Buffalo Bills hosted four players for tryouts on Tuesday before signing an exciting rookie on Wednesday morning.

The Bills signed 2025 seventh-round pick Tommy Akingbesote to the team’s practice squad, helping bolster its depth as Buffalo looks to move forward without the services of DT Ed Oliver and others.

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Oliver is out indefinitely with a torn biceps he sustained during this past Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers, and became the latest Bills DT to be placed on Injured Reserve earlier this week, joining 2024 third-round pick DeWayne Carter and rookie DT T.J. Sanders. Veteran DaQuan Jones is also dealing with a calf injury that forced him to miss the win over the Panthers and has left him out of practice to begin Week 9.

Akingbesote was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but was later waived by the team in August. He was subsequently signed to the Carolina Panthers practice squad in September.

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Jun 10, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Tommy Akingbesote (72) goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The former University of Maryland Terrapin recorded 32 tackles, including five tackles for loss during his senior season in the Big Ten. Akingbesote is unlikely to factor into the team’s game-day plans at defensive tackle in the near future. Still, he is a potential developmental piece for a group hoping to figure things out up front in the coming weeks and months.

The Bills (5-2) will take on the Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. at Highmark Stadium. Buffalo has won the past four regular-season meetings against the Chiefs.

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