What Does Bills' Alec Anderson Signing Mean for Buffalo Offensive Line?

With the Buffalo Bills re-signing Alec Anderson on Friday, questions regarding the team’s projected starting offensive line group have been raised.

Will the Bills re-sign free-agents-to-be David Edwards and Connor McGovern? What about one or the other? Also, what does the future hold for the team’s young offensive linemen, such as Tylan Grable, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and Chase Lundt?

All interesting queries that will be answered in the coming weeks and months as the Bills dive headfirst into free agency and the draft. Before the craziness ramps up again, let’s examine what things might look like for Buffalo in the trenches during the 2026 campaign.

Buffalo Bills center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (62) after the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Examining Left Guard

Edwards is set to hit the open market, where he is expected to secure a sizable contract. It isn’t often that teams allow starting offensive linemen of his caliber to hit free agency, so he will likely be highly sought after by many organizations hoping to beef up their respective protection units. According to Spotrac, Edwards is projected to earn $19.9 million in average annual value (AAV) through free agency.

If Edwards were to leave, Anderson could be in line to earn a starting role beside cornerstone left tackle Dion Dawkins. The former undrafted free agent is capable of playing all five positions up front, along with jumbo tight end, a position in which he has thrived previously. However, there are no assurances for Anderson, whose new deal is for one year and $3 million.

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Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Chase Lundt (77) after the second half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

Buffalo also has Lundt, a 2025 sixth-round pick, Van Pran-Granger, a 2024 fifth-round pick, and Grable, a 2024 sixth-round pick, on its roster and one of them could step in and fill the void left by Edward’s possible departure.

Lundt was placed on Injured Reserve near the end of the ’25 campaign, while Grable missed much of the season due to a concussion. Both players are versatile enough to play both guard and tackle, but the Bills have used Grable as a swing option on the outside in the past and may be more comfortable with him in that role moving forward. That would make Lundt appear as the more likely candidate of the two to slide in and challenge Anderson to fill a potential void left by Edwards if he were to leave for another opportunity.

Options at Center

McGovern will also be a high-priced free agent, with a projected market value of $16.2M AAV, per Spotrac. Anderson has stepped in at center briefly at times in recent seasons, but would likely have to beat out Van Pran-Granger if he were to lock down a starting role in the case that McGovern were to be signed by another team.

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Alec Anderson, Connor McGovern — Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Alec Anderson and center Connor McGovern head out to the field after Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen says a few words to the offensive line in the tunnel before they take the field to warm up. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Van Pran-Granger can also play guard, making him a potential candidate to fill that role if it were to open. However, he played the second-most snaps at center of any Bills offensive linemen last season, including 75 snaps in Buffalo’s Week 18 matchup vs. the New York Jets, per Pro Football Focus. Therefore, that would appear to be a more natural fit, whether it be as the team’s backup if McGovern were to stay, or as the starter if the veteran were to leave.

In short, many possibilities could materialize if Edwards and/or McGovern were to opt to join another team. Anderson will be at the top of the list as a replacement option, but he is not the only player who will be in the mix during the offseason and training camp.