The Buffalo Bills recently lost former starting left guard David Edwards to the New Orleans Saints during free agency. With that departure, the signing of free agent Austin Corbett from the Carolina Panthers helped to fill the void.
As Alec Anderson re-signed to a 1-year, $3 million contract with the team, both he and Corbett will be competing to take over for Edwards as the Bills' new starting left guard for the 2026 NFL season.
Who will win Bills' next starting left guard competition?
Before joining the Bills, Corbett played four seasons with the Panthers, starting in 11 regular-season games. The 6-foot-4, 306-pound swing lineman also took reps at center, which makes him a multifaceted chess piece with the Bills.
Bills' general manager/President of Football Operations Brandon Beane indicated that the most obvious spot for Corbett would be at left guard, where Anderson is also competing for the starting role.
Since Connor McGovern will be the center and the Bills' o-line has been consistently intact, providing continuity and enabling them to cooperate in protecting quarterback Josh Allen and creating open lanes for running back James Cook in the ground game, this has impacted overall team performance.
As for Anderson, he really needs no introduction. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound beast plays with a mean, aggressive attitude on the field and resembles a player who always works hard to "put the ball down," as Brady indicated.
Anderson was signed by the team in 2023 and made local headlines in training camp the following year in 2024. He came into the league in 2022 as an undrafted free agent. Last year, he played a big role as the team's swing lineman by helping Cook run all over the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 26-7 win last November at Acrisure Stadium.
The skilled athlete became known for his "sixth man role" in 2024 when he became a fan favorite in the Bills' "jumbo" packages. He led all NFL offensive linemen with 190 snaps as an inline tight end, helping out as the sixth blocker.
Now with Edwards gone, Anderson will have his first opportunity to become the Bills' starting left guard five years after becoming an undrafted free agent, as Edwards left for his big payday.
Corbett and Anderson will most likely have first dibs in competing for the left guard spot come training camp. But they will face stiff competition from bubble players Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Tylan Grable, Chase Lundt, and others to decide who will open up the first season at the New Highmark Stadium on the offensive line, minus Edwards.