Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills have long searched for a top-notch combination of defensive linemen. With respect to the discussion surrounding the wide receiver group, if you’re a longtime fan of this franchise—and, if you’re reading this, I’m assuming that you are—you know that it seems like the Bills have been rebuilding their defensive line for nearly as long as I-86 has been under construction.
While general manager Brandon Beane has made some big swings during his tenure, bringing in former first-round draft picks like Von Miller, Leonard Floyd, Joey Bosa, and Star Lotulelei, no one can say that the Bills haven’t tried to field a star-studded defensive line. Whether it was because of scheme, unfortunate injuries, or acquiring players who were already on the back nine of their careers, those moves haven’t exactly panned out the way the Bills hoped.
In today’s edition of “91 players in 91 days,” we discuss a defensive lineman the Bills added last season who might not have been a first-round pick for his former franchise, but he performed like a solid contributor in limited action with Buffalo.
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Name: Phidarian Mathis
Number: 72
Position: DT
Height/Weight: 6’4” 312 lbs.
Age: 28 (29 on 4/26/2027)
Experience/Draft: 5; selected by the Washington Commanders in the second round (No. 47 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft
College: Alabama
Acquired: Signed with Buffalo’s practice squad on 9/10/2025
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Mathis re-signed with Buffalo this offseason, inking a one-year contract worth $1.195 million overall. That total also stands as his cap hit if he makes the 53-man roster. If Buffalo releases him before Week One, they’ll carry just $25,000 in dead cap this year. If he makes the roster for the first week, his whole base salary—$1.145 million—becomes fully guaranteed thanks to his status as a vested veteran.
2025 Recap: Mathis spent the preseason with the New York Jets, the same team with which he ended the 2024 season. He appeared in two preseason games with the Jets, notching three total tackles. However, Mathis was waived by the Jets before their preseason finale, as the team traded for Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs, leading to Mathis’ exit. He went unclaimed on waivers, but signed with Buffalo’s practice squad after the first week of the season. Mathis remained on the practice squad without a call-up until Week Five, when he was active for Buffalo’s 23-20 loss to the New England Patriots. Mathis made two tackles on 17 defensive snaps in that game. He was elevated once more in a Week Nine win over the Kansas City Chiefs before he was signed to the active roster on November 5. Mathis played the following week, a game where the Bills were embarrassed by the Miami Dolphins, but he missed the next three weeks due to a shoulder injury. Once he was healthy, he sat two more weeks as a healthy scratch before returning to play against the Cleveland Browns. He played in Buffalo’s final three regular season games, bringing his season...
