The Buffalo Bills locked up Pro Bowl center Connor McGovern on a four-year, $52 million deal before free agency. Here's what it means for Josh Allen and Buffalo's 2026 plans.
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The Bills locked up a major piece of their offensive line with a four-year, $52M deal on Saturday.
Connor McGovern isn’t going anywhere. The Buffalo Bills locked down a massive piece to help protect quarterback Josh Allen before free agency begins. McGovern’s new four-year, $52 million agreement is the latest sign that the door never truly closed, despite weeks of departure buzz and loud offseason noise suggesting otherwise. The move comes just days after the Bills acquired DJ Moore in a blockbuster trade from the Chicago Bears.
The deal includes $32 million guaranteed, per Adam Schefter, and it ensures McGovern will not reach the open market. Days ago, the Buffalo Bills’ center told The Athletic’s Tim Graham that the organization hadn’t contacted him once during the 2026 offseason, going so far as to say, “In my gut, that says it’s over and done”. The Buffalo Bills clearly had other plans.
Buffalo Bills Snag Connor McGovern Ahead of NFL Free Agency
This is the kind of whiplash that only free agent season delivers. McGovern was already set to have a big market, as the Texans and Lions were reportedly circling — and the center market was drying up fast around the league. Brandon Beane waited, the noise got louder, and then he pounced.
The Buffalo Bills’ front office might not be done building, either. This move comes just days after Buffalo pulled off a blockbuster trade for DJ Moore from the Bears, sending a second-round pick to Chicago while getting a fifth-rounder back in return. That’s a new weapon and a locked-in Pro Bowl center in the same week.
Bills Loading Up Around Josh Allen
Josh Allen has carried thin Bills’ rosters, masked holes at receiver, and still managed to finish third in MVP voting last year behind Matt Stafford and Drake Maye. Now, Beane is finally giving him a reason to believe the front office has his back after giving up a strong draft asset for a proven receiver in Moore, and the best center he’s ever played behind is locked up through his prime.
Buffalo hasn’t been shy about its intentions this offseason, and the rest of the AFC should be paying attention. Beane said it himself at the combine: the most important thing outside of Josh Allen is protecting Josh Allen. One week, two massive moves, and Bills fans should be feeling much better about the upcoming season.
Connor McGovern Deal Shows Bills’ Super Bowl Aspirations
Josh Allen now has his rock at center and a legitimate receiving threat, and that combination could change the Bills’ ceiling entirely. McGovern started 16 games at center for the Bills in 2025 and has been a fixture on Buffalo’s offensive line since signing a three-year, $22.5 million deal back in 2023. He’s the kind of tough, reliable presence you don’t find on the open market. Now, the Bills don’t have to worry about finding a replacement.
First-year head coach Joe Brady is inheriting a roster that just got significantly more dangerous. The Bills still have cap work to do — they released four players just this week to create space — but locking McGovern down before he ever hits the market is the kind of aggressive move that implies Buffalo isn’t just competing in 2026. They’re going all in.