Bills Guard Ranked Among NFL’s Best Interior Offensive Linemen

Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Connor McGovern is expected to play a significant role in the team’s offense this season.

Though he remained a reliable interior presence for all 17 games last season, the 6-5, 318-pound lineman was not ranked within the top 20 guards in the NFL by Pro Football Focus on its top 32 guards list for the upcoming season — ranking at No. 25.

Dec 31, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills guard Connor McGovern (66) dives on the fumbled ball by Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) (not pictured) during the first half against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium. © Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

"McGovern earned a modest 55.4 PFF overall grade in his first season with the Bills in 2023, but that doesn’t tell the whole story," PFF analyst Thomas Valentine wrote. "The former Cowboy allowed just 23 pressures across 695 pass-blocking snaps, and his 4.1 percent pressure rate allowed was a top-20 mark at the position. He was an ever-present figure on the Bills' offensive line, too, playing 1,135 snaps in the 2023 regular season, the sixth most among guards, and starting every game for the team. His 74.2 pass-blocking grade ranked 11th."

Though he has become a rapid fan favorite in Buffalo, McGovern began his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys as their third-round Draft selection (No. 90 overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Larksville, PA native signed with the Bills in March 2023. Throughout his five-year career, he has played in 62 games, starting 46 of them.

After the departure of longtime center Mitch Morse this offseason, McGovern has been the consensus choice to replace him as Buffalo’s starting center. While McGovern’s veteran savvy is likely to earn him the majority of the first-team overall reps to begin camp, rookie Sedrick Van Pran-Granger's abilities may afford him the chance to earn a spot in the starting lineup at center sooner rather than later.