Bills training camp 2025 offensive line preview: One battle could be brewing
Alec Anderson vs. Sedrick Van Pran-Granger could have long-term implications.
www.nytimes.com
Since this Bills regime took over in 2017, they have been attempting to find their way with the offensive line. Through many draft picks, free agent investments and tough decisions, it all finally clicked for the team in 2024.
The Bills had a good starting unit in 2023 that took an even bigger step forward in 2024, giving franchise quarterback Josh Allen the best offensive line he’s had during his NFL career. How do things stack up for the offensive line heading into yet another year that they’ll be pushing for a Super Bowl?
While many faces remain the same, an eye on the future is essential with this group. Here is a detailed outlook of the offensive line for when the Bills return for training camp in late July.
What’s changed?
For the most part, nothing. The Bills had one of the best offensive lines in football last year and returned all five of their starters for 2025. The Bills employed one of the best offensive tackle duos in the league in Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown, and the expectation is for that to continue as a strength in 2025. On the interior, left guard David Edwards, center Connor McGovern and right guard O’Cyrus Torrence were well above-average players. Even the team’s top three backups are the same, with Alec Anderson, Tylan Grable and Sedrick Van Pran-Granger. The Bills did use one of their late-round picks on Chase Lundt to bring in another developmental offensive tackle prospect, but outside of him, the continuity for most of the group is uncanny by NFL standards.
Biggest question
How are they prioritizing extensions for the three interior starters?
The Bills starting five are all signed in 2025 as they hope to resume their stay as one of the best units in the league. However, 2025 may very well be the last time the entire starting group is together. There are two key free agents on the horizon in McGovern and Edwards. On top of that, Torrence is a free agent after the 2026 season, which complicates the future of their interior offensive line a great deal. Torrence took a big step forward during the second half of the 2024 season, and should he continue that progress into a full year, the Bills could look at him as their next substantial extension investment next offseason. Top-of-the-market guards are not as cheap as they once were, so if Torrence becomes one of their key pieces moving forward, the cap space needed to keep him on the team could cause them to move on from the combination of Edwards and McGovern. The money for Torrence might be what the Bills have usually set aside for their starting center since general manager Brandon Beane arrived.
Between McGovern and Edwards, the natural inclination is to think the Bills would favor McGovern just because of their investments at center throughout Beane’s tenure. Beane invested in a contract extension for Eric Wood. After Wood had to retire and the Bills went a year without an answer at center, they signed Mitch Morse to a long-term, top-of-market deal. McGovern settled in nicely in 2024 in his first year at center, and that will help their potential decisions. However, McGovern turns 28 during the season, they have some in-house candidates to start there should he leave, and the Torrence discussion complicates a potential new deal for McGovern entirely.
Edwards has been a revelation for the contracts he’s signed with the team. He was their trusted jumbo package sixth offensive lineman in 2023 and that earned him a low-cost two-year deal. In 2024, he not only became their starting left guard, but he was also one of the most consistent players on the team last season. Edwards has easily outplayed his originally signed extension of $6 million over two years, and nailing contracts like that is part of what helps a team get over the top. Given his impact, it would be a surprise for Edwards to sign an extension before the season anywhere near the value they got him on in this last deal. Plus, the 28-year-old Edwards could be their lowest priority between Torrence, McGovern and Edwards, given his age and position.
But the big question remains: what are the Bills valuing most with this trio? Do they want to prioritize Torrence, even if it means assigning more cap space to one guard than they ever have before under Beane? Or will they want their most notable continuity to be at center, with McGovern remaining the man in the middle of the offensive line past 2025, even if it means watching Torrence walk in 2027? And what does that all mean for Edwards? The upcoming season will be paramount to all of their critical decisions for a part of their offensive line that has helped them get to greater success as both a rushing offense and pass-blocking unit.
Potential camp battle
IOL Alec Anderson vs. IOL Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
While this battle won’t be at the top of everyone’s list, the battle between Anderson and Van Pran-Granger could have long-term implications. They would be battling for the backup center role to McGovern, who, as we pointed out, is a free agent in March and may not be in their plans if their re-signing priorities are elsewhere. If their plan is to move on from McGovern, it opens up an opportunity for one of Anderson or Van Pran-Granger to be at the top of their mind for who would be the potential starter in 2026. Anderson is a restricted free agent, while Van Pran-Granger is signed through 2027. Anderson has more in-game experience, but there are questions about whether he’s better suited to play guard than center. Van Pran-Granger struggled a bit in his lone extended opportunity in Week 18, but he’s a center first, which helps his cause. It would be unfair to conclude what Van Pran-Granger’s potential could be based on that one game. Because the starting positions are spoken for in 2025, how Anderson and Van Pran-Granger perform in their center reps during camp practices and the preseason could determine who McGovern’s true backup is this season, and if they play well enough, maybe even the Bills’ starting center in 2026.
Bubble watch
OT Ryan Van Demark
Van Demark has been a success story of the Bills’ development abilities, graduating from a practice squad player to having two seasons on the 53-man roster — many of those games with him serving as the top backup offensive tackle. But a few things have put Van Demark on the bubble in 2025. The first was his performance at right tackle during camp and in opportunities last season. Now with three full seasons under his belt in Buffalo and similar concerns that he’s a left tackle only, the lack of versatility hurts his cause. Second, Van Demark was passed on the depth chart by versatile rookie Tylan Grable, who has been trained at both tackle spots and inside at guard. And third, the team used a sixth-round pick on Lundt this April, which could take Van Demark’s spot on the team. This is a big summer for Van Demark’s future on the team.
Sleeper potential
Tylan Grable
Grable came through in his first summer and rose through the ranks rapidly. He made the 53-man roster outright as a late-round pick and took Van Demark’s job as the top offensive tackle reserve to begin the year. Grable then landed on Injured Reserve in Week 4, allowing Van Demark another chance to reclaim his job, but with Van Demark’s struggles at right tackle in Week 18, the Bills went back to having Grable as the top backup swing tackle for the playoffs, making Van Demark a healthy scratch for the entire postseason. The expectation is that Grable will be the favorite to retain that role this summer, but what makes him a sleeper is his versatility in giving the team reps at guard. With Grable signed through 2027, you can’t rule out him being a contender for the starting left guard job in 2026 if the Bills move on from Edwards. Grable had an impressive rookie year, all things considered, so we’ll see if he can continue his in-house ascent.
Who makes it and why?
Dion Dawkins, David Edwards, Connor McGovern, O’Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown, Alec Anderson, Tylan Grable, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Chase Lundt
Because the Bills have so many of the same faces returning for 2025, there aren’t that many difficult decisions ahead. The starters will remain the same, and the top three backups will likely remain the same. It really comes down to two questions. First, will they find enough room to keep 10 offensive linemen? They have in the past, but usually only go with nine, and have some different positions with many contenders to make the team, pulling them toward keeping nine again this year. Second, if they only keep nine, will it be the experienced Van Demark or the rookie Lundt, who is on a four-year deal, that they keep as their final offensive lineman? At this stage, I’ll give the benefit of the doubt to the rookie, as the Bills generally like to keep their picks on the team if they have the spot for them.