Bills turn to Lotulelei to bolster defence

Star Lotulelei spent five seasons with the Carolina Panthers, who drafted him in 2013.

Team will reportedly sign former Panther to a five-year contract

The Bills’defensive front quickly took shape Tuesday, when Star Lotulelei agreed to sign with Buffalo, and Kyle Williams chose to return for a 13th season.

A person familiar with the situation confirmed to The Associated Press that Lotulelei reached an agreement to sign a five-year contract with the Bills. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the signing won’t become official until the NFL’s business year opens on Wednesday.

The agreement was first reported by ESPN.com.

A few hours later, the Bills announced they agreed to a one- year deal to re-sign Williams, who was contemplating retirement for a second consecutive off-season.

The moves bulk up Buffalo’s defensive front by filling both tackle starting positions a day before the start of free agency.

Just as important, the Bills retain a steadying presence in their locker room in Williams after losing another key leader in centre Eric Wood, who was diagnosed with a career-ending neck injury in January. Williams was an unquestioned leader on a patchwork, rebuilding team that exceeded expectations with a 9-7 record and ended a 17-season playoff drought.

The 34-year-old is so highly regarded, coach Sean McDermott would grow emotional in discussing what the player meant to the team.

“It’s hard not to gravitate toward a guy like that, because of who he is as a person more so than anything,” McDermott said of Williams in December.

“How could you not like the way he plays and appreciate that, right?”

Williams returns to his familiar spot in the middle, which he’s held since the Bills selected in the fifth-round of the 2006 draft. And he’ll be playing alongside the 28-year-old Lotulelei, who takes over after Buffalo traded Marcell Dareus to Jacksonville in October.

Lotulelei was a five-year starter with Carolina after being selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2013 draft out of Utah. The native of Tonga is listed at 6-foot-3 and 311 pounds, and fills an immediate hole on Buffalo’s defensive front.

Lotulelei is reunited with McDermott, who was Panthers defensive co-ordinator before taking over in Buffalo in January 2017.

Lotulelei has forced two fumbles and has 111⁄2 sacks in 76 career games, and was voted to the NFL all-rookie team in 2013.