The Buffalo Bills bulked up their defensive front with two significant free-agent

agreements on Tuesday.

The Bills signed linebacker Andra Davis to a two-year contract late Tuesday afternoon. Then

they reached an agreement on a four-year deal with free-agent defensive end Dwan Edwards about

midnight. Edwards is expected to sign the contract today.

Davis is a 6-foot-1, 251-pounder from Denver who fits the prototype of a physical inside

linebacker in the 3-4 defense. Davis' deal is worth about $4.4 million and includes $2 million

this year, according to an NFL source.

Edwards is a 6-3, 290-pounder from Baltimore who is a proven end in the 3-4 scheme. Edwards'

agreement is worth about $18 million total.

Davis became available in a surprise move last week when he was cut by the Denver Broncos.

Davis, 31, started 13 of 16 games in his lone season in Denver. He ranked third on the team in

tackles with 90 and added 3.5 sacks. He started the previous for six years with Cleveland.

"I'm very excited," Davis told reporters on a conference call before flying back to Denver.

"It's definitely a great feeling. I'm happy to be here. What closed the deal was the fact that

I felt very welcome. It's a blessing and I'm happy this whole situation is over with. Now I'm

focused on helping the team achieve the next step."

Davis joins an inside linebacking corps that includes Paul Posluszny and Kawika Mitchell. When

the Bills switched to the 3-4, it was presumed Mitchell would move from his weak-side outside

role in the 4-3 to the inside. The three could battle it out for two starting positions. It's

also possible Mitchell still could play on the outside.

In Denver Davis was a two-down linebacker, usually exiting the field in obvious passing

situations. Posluszny and Mitchell usually stayed on the field in passing situations last

season.

Posluszny is 6-1, 238. Mitchell is 6-1, 253. The rest of the Bills' backup linebackers

returning from last season all are smaller than the prototype for the middle spots in the 3-4

scheme. It was important the team added some veteran depth with size.

"I'm just going to come in here and compete," Davis said. "Coach Edwards told me I had the

same opportunity that everyone else has here. That's all you can ask for in this league is an

opportunity in this league. You don't want anyone to give you anything. So he's going to give

me the same opportunities he's going to give all the other guys."

Bills defensive coordinator George Edwards coached Davis in Cleveland in 2004 when Edwards was

an assistant with the Browns.

"It was a huge factor," Davis said of George Edwards' presence with the Bills. "Not only do I

know him, but he knows me. ... Ever since then we've constantly been on the phone with each

other. Even though he was in Miami and I was in Cleveland and Denver, we always had that great

communication and a great relationship."

Davis also played for Bills outside linebackers coach Bob Sanders for three of his seasons at

the University of Florida.

The Broncos overhauled their defensive front this offseason after finishing 26th in the NFL

vs. the run last season. Denver was seventh overall in yards allowed last season.

Dwan Edwards started 13 games in 2007 and nine games in 2009 for the Ravens' stellar defense.

He sat out all of the 2008 season due to a neck injury suffered in preseason. Edwards had two

vertebrae in his neck — the C3 and C4 bones — fused together. He has visited

Seattle and Denver earlier this month.

Asked on Tuesday afternoon how free agency has gone for him so far, Edwards said: "It's been a

little difficult. I'm not going to lie. I kind of knew coming in some teams might have some

issues with my neck. ... I haven't had any problems at all."

Dwan Edwards played in all 18 games last year (counting playoffs) and started in place of

Trevor Pryce starting in Week Six.

Edwards becomes the prospective starter at right defensive end and gives the Bills what should

be a good rotation of at least three men at the position, along with right end Marcus Stroud

and Spencer Johnson. The Bills also have John McCargo returning, although he would appear to

fit better in a 4-3 scheme.

"I've gotten better every year I've been with the Ravens," said Edwards, 28. "Unfortunately I

had the injury in '08 but I came back strong and probably had the most productive year of my

career. I'm looking forward to continuing to grow and improve and be a great addition."

Edwards has a good grasp of his job in the 3-4 defense.

"It's definitely not a glamorous position," he said. "You free up the linebackers to make a

lot of plays. When it's your turn to make a play you make that play. But definitely it's being

able to set the edge and hold the point. It's a lot of grimy dirty work. I've kind of been

brought up to do that work and not get a lot of maybe credit or respect for it. But that's the

job when you play in the 3-4."

The two signings give the Bills three unrestricted free-agent additions this month. The Bills

previously signed Cornell Green, who is the prospective starter at right tackle.