Bills' Free Agency Activity Creates Competition for 2 Key Position Battles

After a bevy of low-key free-agent signings, the Buffalo Bills will have plenty of competition for two starting spots.

Aug 11, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens safety Geno Stone (26) reacts after the play during the second half against the Tennessee Titans | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills' free agency activity has seemingly set the stage for two position battles — one on each side of the ball — to unfold in the coming months.

While first-year head coach Joe Brady will have to select a replacement for starting left guard David Edwards, who landed with the New Orleans Saints as an unrestricted free agent, new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard must identify the best option to start alongside safety Cole Bishop.

There are both new free agent additions and returning players who will presumably compete for starting roles.

Here's an overview for the two pending position battles with the 2026 NFL Draft on the horizon.

Left Guard

Potential starters — Alec Anderson, Austin Corbett

The Bills wasted no time reaching an agreement with utilityman Alec Anderson, locking up the restricted free agent on a one-year contract back in February.

Anderson, who was Buffalo's emergency center, showed his versatility by making starts at right tackle and left guard in 2025. The re-signing was made presumably as a Plan B should Buffalo lose either Edwards or center Connor McGovern in free agency.

"I think I've proven to do that with my years in the league, being able to stick around and kind of play whatever role that the offense or the special teams coach needs me to play. I think I'll fulfill that this year in the offensive line," said Anderson while present in Orchard Park for Brady's introductory press conference.

Jan 4, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Alec Anderson (70) enters the field before a game against the New York Jets | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-5 Anderson has played in 34 consecutive games for the Bills, primarily serving as a sixth offensive lineman in heavy formations.

Buffalo was also fortunate enough to find a battle-tested veteran during the second wave of free agency, adding Austin Corbett on a one-year contract likely worth not much more than the league minimum.

The 30-year-old Corbett, who was the No. 33 overall draft pick in 2018, has 78 career starts. He made 33 starts as the Los Angeles Rams' right guard during the 2020 and 2021 campaigns.

Corbett, a Super Bowl LVI champion, made 13 appearances (11 starts) for the Carolina Panthers. The 6-foot-4 interior lineman, who also has experience at center, could threaten Anderson's presumed role as the replacement for Edwards.

Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers center Austin Corbett (63) runs on to the field before the game at Bank of America Stadium | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Safety

Potential starters — Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Geno Stone, Damar Hamlin

With 2024 second-round pick Cole Bishop penciled in as a starter after a breakthrough in 2025, the Bills secured three safeties with starting experience in free agency.

"I'd love to find another Cole Bishop and pair him right there where you can do both," said Bills' general manager Brandon Beane at the NFL Combine. "If we find a traditional box safety, then he'll probably end up in more free opportunities. If we find more of a free, rangy post guy, then Cole's gonna find himself closer to the box."

First, they added Super Bowl LIX champion Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and six-year veteran Geno Stone. Then, two weeks into free agency, Buffalo re-signed former sixth-round pick Damar Hamlin to a one-year contract.

Jan 2, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (22) dances on the sidelines | Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

While Gardner-Johnson projects as the starting free safety, one can't ignore the possibility that defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard deploys the versatile defensive back elsewhere.

Stone is from a similar mold as Bishop in the sense that he can be effective at either free or strong safety. In 2023, he led all NFL safeties with seven interceptions for the Baltimore Ravens. In 2025, he made 104 tackles for the Cincinnati Bengals.

While Hamlin is likely more of a veteran depth piece, one can't count him out of the starting safety competition. He has 27 career starts as well as prior experience practicing with Bishop.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin smiles after almost intercepting a. Pass during the second half of the Buffalo Bills wild card game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 12, 2025 | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images