The Bills took steps to address their reduced ranks on the defensive line this week. Buffalo signed DE Lavar Edwards and DT T.J. Barnes on Tuesday. They also signed LB Kevin Reddick, who returns from the Bills after a stint on the practice squad earlier this season.
Kyle Williams has been placed on Injured Reserve.
Edwards (6-4, 278) was signed off the Dallas Cowboys practice squad, a place where he had a couple of stints this season. He also spent some time on the Oakland Raiders practice squad and the Chicago Bears active roster during the regular season.
A pass rusher by trade, Edwards can hopefully add to a Bills pass rush that has not measured up to their production of the last two seasons.
"I would say I'm an athletic guy," Edwards said. "I have a good get-off and I try to hustle as hard as I can and make plays on the line of scrimmage or 20 yards down the field, whatever I need to do."
A former fifth-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2013, Edwards has appeared in 11 career games including four last season for the Cowboys.
Barnes (6-7, 364) is a mountain of a man who was signed off the New York Jets practice squad. The second-year defensive tackle out of Georgia Tech has appeared in six games for the Jets this season, but caught in a numbers game on New York's deep defensive line he's been up and down between the active roster and the practice squad this year.
The 25-year old is familiar to Rex Ryan and his defensive staff as he's been with the Jets organization since 2013.
"Anything I've learned from (defensive line coach) Karl Dunbar," said Barnes. "I just try to be another good player for the defense. I'm still trying to get familiarized with everything and how things go. I'm thankful the Bills thought so highly of me that they're bringing me on the 53."
Barnes was originally signed as an undrafted rookie by Jacksonville following the 2013 NFL draft.
Reddick, a 6-1, 240 pound North Carolina product, entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Saints in 2013.
Buffalo lost DT Alex Carrington for the season this past Sunday with an undisclosed knee injury. The status of DE Mario Williams is also up in the air for this weekend's game against Houston.
