Unfortunately, Buffalo Bills fans got their first bit of bad news since the fiasco surrounding Sean McDermott’s firing. Fans learned on Wednesday that soon-to-be free agent center Connor McGovern feels as though his time in Buffalo may be over.
“They haven’t contacted me once,” McGovern told The Athletic’s Tim Graham. “In my gut, that says it’s over and done.”
Earlier this offseason, general manager Brandon Beane said he knew it would be difficult to retain both of his interior offensive linemen with expiring contracts. With left guard David Edwards expecting a huge payday on the open market, it seemed more likely the Bills would retain McGovern if he could keep one.
If that turns out not to be the case, as McGovern seems to suggest it might, then Beane is playing a dangerous game with a crucial piece of his offense.
Bills GM Brandon Beane faces tricky call as Connor McGovern waits for clarity
Of course, the business side matters. And Beane has his hands in several pots, with eyes on potentially making a big swing at wide receiver. To that end, Beane may be allocating his resources so heavily there that resigning either of his interior offensive linemen may prove to be unrealistic.
“It is a business,” McGovern said. “I’m never going to take it personally. I want to be back in Buffalo, and I know they want me back. But sometimes you’ve got to look in the mirror and be realistic.”
Still, it’s no less frustrating that Beaene hasn’t at least contacted McGovern. But we can only give Beane so much benefit of the doubt that he simply hasn’t gotten around to it yet.
Certainly, we have to see Beane’s full plan come through before casting too much judgment. After all, MCGovern’s public concern could be the catalyst to spark a new deal that keeps him in Buffalo. But I do worry that ignoring McGovern is a mistake that will bite him and the roster down the road.
Sure, Cedric Van Pran-Granger has been quietly developing behind McGovern, and the team has some faith in Alec Anderson to potentially step in at left guard. If those two rise to the occasion, then it’s all gravy, but if not, Josh Allen will have a much harder time getting the ball out to whoever his new receivers may be.
Center is a remarkably undervalued position in the league, and to have continuity at that position is a quiet luxury for the teams that get to enjoy it. The Bills have, while McGovern has manned the middle of the trenches for the past three seasons. If Beane intends on moving away from him, it’s a risky gamble that will undoubtedly reshape expectations surrounding the Bills’ offense in 2026.