The Buffalo Bills face their own free agents to manage this offseason, yet this spring presents a chance to consider the future beyond the 2025 season.
Bills center Connor McGovern is signed for the next season, but his contract runs out in 2026, and The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia thinks the team should extend his deal now rather than wait.
“McGovern serves as their starting center, a role that the Bills have compensated for previously and view as essential to an NFL lineup.” He’s a dependable, consistently strong starter that the Bills probably wouldn’t need to overspend to re-sign on a long-term contract. Buscaglia notes that his connection with Josh Allen is vital, since the two share an outstanding professional relationship.
Beyond all that, McGovern is still very much in his prime at just 27 years of age. Although not the primary motivation for finalizing a deal, the Bills would gain from eliminating some dead cap from their 2026 budget by signing McGovern to a new contract. McGovern has three empty years left on his existing contract, with all the distributed cap space ($4.8 million) set to expire in 2026 if the team decides to part ways. Nonetheless, the Bills might conserve almost $2 million in 2026 salary cap by finalizing a contract before, during, or soon after the next season.
The center is often considered one of the most overlooked roles on a football team. They receive hardly any recognition for holding one of the most crucial roles on the field. Statistics may not steal the limelight, but the dedication is crucial behind the curtains, particularly for a quarterback.
Allen’s MVP effort probably couldn’t have happened without McGovern’s reliable communication and consistency, which made him a crucial part of the team and offense.
Re-signing him ought to be a top priority for the Bills as they approach the upcoming offseason.
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