After releasing Mitch Morse in their cap-clearing frenzy, the Buffalo Bills decided to make Connor McGovern their starting center. However, they also drafted Sedrick Van Pran-Granger in the fifth round of the draft, who can make a serious push for the starting job through training camp and preseason. So, who should become the team’s starting center in Week 1? In an ideal world, it should be Van Pran-Granger starting at center and McGovern at his old guard position and these are the reasons why.
It has been said numerous times now that while McGovern has only played guard in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, he does have experience at center from his days in college. The offensive line was the best we’ve seen in quite some time with McGovern at guard, and moving him inside to center may mess with any progress they made last season.
The Bills finally saw a healthy Spencer Brown throughout the season, with new acquisitions Connor McGovern and O’Cyrus Torrence also playing very well. Breaking up the connection they had last year may not be the move the Bills want to make, and drafting a center shows that.
Van Pran-Granger started in 44 games in his four seasons with the Bulldogs and was the glue to that offensive line. Coming into the draft, many viewed him as a Day 2 prospect, so the Bills landing him in the fifth round was a steal.
But with the acquisitions they made on the offensive line in free agency, Sedrick may need to show the coaches a lot to start him over McGovern or Will Clapp. There’s a very good chance he can outplay both of them and win a starting job, too. If he can build trust and rapport with Josh Allen early this summer, that may bode well for his chances of winning a starting job. Whoever is named the starting center will likely get a seal of approval from Josh as he has to trust whoever is snapping the ball.
Sedrick Van Pran-Granger as the starting center gives the Buffalo Bills their best offensive line
There’s a lot to like about the rookie center winning the starting job, including keeping the continuity at guard with Connor McGovern. Van Pran-Granger is ready to start right now, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he can impress his coaches to make that a reality.
If he pans out in his rookie year, the Bills will no doubt have one of the league's best offensive lines for the second year in a row.