The Buffalo Bills announced that they have re-signed defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis. The former second-round pick agreed to a one year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Mathis, who will turn 28 in April, was chosen 47th overall by the Washington Commanders in the 2022 NFL Draft. He spent three injury-plagued seasons with the club, totaling just 25 tackles and two tackles for loss across only 23 games. Washington released him in December 2024, and he signed with the New York Jets’ practice squad. He did not appear in a game for Gang Green, and he was released in August 2025.
Mathis signed with Buffalo’s practice squad on September 10, 2025. The Bills elevated him for two contests—a 23-20 loss to the New England Patriots in Week Five and a 28-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week Eight—before signing him to their 53-man roster on November 5. Mathis played in four more games during the regular season, and in two of them, he was a huge contributor. He had four tackles in victories over the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets. Overall, he showed good burst and solid anchor against the run, totaling 13 tackles in his six regular season games.
Mathis also played six snaps in the Bills’ Wild Card victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. At 6’4” and 312 lbs. with 34.5” arms, he profiles as someone who can play multiple spots along an odd-man defensive line, which is the scheme the Bills will utilize under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. Coming out of Alabama, NFL Network’s Lance Zierlein called him a “scheme-versatile player” who could play nose tackle in either an odd front or an even front, or a 5-tech defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. Zierlein’s professional comparison for Mathis was DaQuan Jones, Buffalo’s top 1-tech defensive tackle for the last four seasons.
News had previously leaked regarding Buffalo re-signing offensive lineman Alec Anderson, and the Bills officially announced his signing in the same release announcing the Mathis contract.