After seeing time last year as the sixth o-lineman, Edwards looks to move into the starting lineup this season
The Buffalo Bills often sign a bevy of veteran offensive linemen in the offseason. Those signings often come at a discount, as general manager Brandon Beane waits until the second wave of free agency — and sometimes even the third wave — has calmed before striking.
Buffalo tends to favor athletic linemen who have the potential to play multiple spots, especially if that player is slated for work as a reserve. It’s also not uncommon for Beane to trade a lineman in August for a late-round draft choice that he’ll ultimately use to trade up during the league’s annual selection meeting.
If history tells us anything, it’s that players who don’t make Buffalo’s roster along the offensive line not only have a good chance of making other teams’ rosters, but they have a chance at playing significant snaps with their new team, as well.
In today’s edition of “91 players in 91 days,” we discuss one of Beane’s free agent signings who didn't leave the team, and who instead parlayed his limited role into a chance at something more in 2024.
David Edwards
- Number: 76
- Position: G
- Height/Weight: 6’6”, 308 pounds
- Age: 27 (28 on 3/20/2025)
- Experience/Draft: 6; selected in the fifth round (No. 169 overall) of the 219 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams
- College: Wisconsin
- Acquired: Signed with Buffalo on 3/23/2023
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Edwards re-upped with the Bills this offseason, signing a two-year pact worth $6 million. He’s due $2.95 million in guarantees, and if he’s released or traded this season, that total will be the dead-cap charge Buffalo carries for the season. If Edwards makes the team, his cap hit for 2024 is $2.295 million.
2023 Recap: Edwards was Buffalo’s “jumbo” tight end, subbing in as a sixth offensive lineman repeatedly throughout the season. He totaled 148 snaps, 13% of the team’s offensive total, even though he never started a game. In the postseason, his usage nearly tripled, as he appeared on 25 and 21 snaps, respectively, in Buffalo’s two postseason games. Both of those totals were season highs. He committed one penalty on the year.
Positional outlook: Edwards looks positioned to be the starter at left guard, joining former left guard — and presumed current center — Connor McGovern and right guard O’Cyrus Torrence as the interior line group. Keaton Bills, Gunner Britton, Will Clapp, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, and Kevin Jarvis are the other interior offensive linemen. Alec Anderson is listed at tackle, but he can play anywhere up front, as well.
2024 Offseason: Edwards is healthy and participated in offseason work. He’s ready for training camp.
2024 Season outlook: Edwards is going to be on the team this year, and barring something surprising, he’ll start at left guard. The last time he started for a whole season was in 2021, and he played every snap across 21 games for the Super Bowl champion Rams.
Edwards was outstanding in his role as the sixth lineman last year, and he was quite solid as a starter with the Rams prior to his departure. Even though the Bills shuffled the deck a bit up front in the wake of Mitch Morse’s release, the team does return five starters who were all with the club last season.
How quickly Edwards can gel with the four returning starters, and how quickly McGovern can adapt to his new role as the center, will go a long way in determining how good the 2024 Bills offensive line is. As for Edwards, look for him to be starting when the Bills host the Arizona Cardinals on September 8.