On brink of free agency, C Connor McGovern re-signs with Bills

Connor McGovern will be running it back with the Bills.

He didn’t expect it. Earlier this week, McGovern expressed skepticism about sticking around.

“They haven’t contacted me once,” McGovern told Tim Graham of The Athletic. “In my gut, that says it’s over and done.”

Instead, the deal is done. Per multiple reports, the Bills and McGovern (No. 30 on the PFT list of top 100 free agents) have agreed on a new agreement. Via Adam Schefter of ESPN, it’s a four-year, $52 million contract with $32 million guaranteed. The $13 million annual average puts him at fourth among all centers. The top of the market is $18 million annually, set by Chiefs center Creed Humphrey.

The decision to stay put surely comes with full knowledge as to what else would have been available. Even though the negotiating window doesn’t open until Monday at noon ET, there’s been more than enough tampering for players to know their market. And the Bills had a reason to get something done before trying to get another starting center under contract once free agency opens.

A third-round pick of the Cowboys in 2019, McGovern signed with the Bills in 2023. He moved to center in 2024, after Mitch Morse was released.