When a team has a franchise quarterback that is a proven superstar, the front office must always do whatever it takes to not just make them happy, but also make sure that they are protected. The Buffalo Bills have that situation as long as Josh Allen is under center and in his prime.
No matter how dynamic a quarterback is, if he doesn’t have the greatest protection in front of him, then there is only so much that he can do. The only time that Allen has had a below-average offensive line was in his rookie season. Since then, Buffalo has done a great job at building an offensive line that protects him and allows him to work his magic.
Now granted, changes are always bound to happen. Even this coming season, the left guard spot is up for grabs, and either Alec Anderson or Austin Corbett will most likely be in that spot. With Connor McGovern re-signing with the team on a new four-year deal, the Bills have majority of their starters coming back from the last two seasons.
While they have a majority of their offensive line taken care of, there is one player in the trenches that, on paper, could be playing his final season with the Bills. Right guard O’Cyrus Torrence is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He was drafted in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and the Bills are going to have to make a decision on his future with the team.
Bills must extend O'Cyrus Torrence to keep offensive line solidified
Brent Sobleski from Bleacher Report has the Bills extending Torrence as part of Buffalo’s to-do list for the rest of the offseason. In addition to that, Sobleski also has two other priorities in the “implementation of Jim Leonhard’s defensive scheme” and “add a veteran wide receiver”.
"To help ensure quarterback Josh Allen stays upright, the Bills should solidify their offensive line by extending 26-year-old O'Cyrus Torrence, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal." said Sobleski.
Since coming out of college, Torrence has been a great blocker for Allen. He helps solidify the offensive line, but the Bills can only play so many players. While they chose to extend Connor McGovern, that meant that David Edwards was definitely gone.
Now with Buffalo drafting Jude Bowry in the 4th round this past April, there is speculation that Bowry could be a starter sooner than later. While he played tackle in college, the Bills are looking to use him as a guard as well. The plan could very well have Bowry take over and replace Torrence. At the same time, why break up the continuity if Torrence keeps playing at a high level?
It’s tough to pay top money at the guard position unless you are the best in the game. At the same time, the Bills have always been about continuity. While that could very well change moving forward, no one can deny that the offensive line that Josh Allen has had in recent memory has been his best one by far.
The Bills are going to have to make a tough call with Torrence’s future, but if he plays well, then the answer should be very obvious in finding a way to keep him in the building.
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