Over the last several years, the Buffalo Bills have been strong along the offensive line. They have been very healthy, as well, which led to remarkable consistency with their protectors.
Entering the 2026 NFL season, the Bills return four of their five starters up front. Only left guard David Edwards, who signed a free agent deal with the New Orleans Saints, is gone from the starting five that began the 2024 season and continued together in 2025. That means that, for the first time in a little bit,
the Bills have a legitimate competition for a starting spot up front.
In today’s installment of “91 players in 91 days,” we discuss one of the front-runners for that left guard spot.
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Name: Alec Anderson
Number: 70
Position: C/G
Height/Weight: 6’5” 305 lbs.
Age: 26 (27 on 10/3/2026)
Experience/Draft: 4; signed with Buffalo following the 2022 NFL Draft
College: UCLA
Acquired: UDFA signing
Financial situation (per Spotrac): Anderson signed a one-year deal worth $2.5 million this offseason. That is also his cap number if Buffalo keeps him on the 53-man roster. Should Buffalo decide to release Anderson, they will carry a dead cap charge of $1.8 million, which is the sum of the guarantees on the deal.
2025 Recap: Anderson was injured during the preseason, but he was healthy enough to play in all 17 regular-season games last year, as well as Buffalo’s two playoff contests. He made two starts on the season, with the biggest one coming in Buffalo’s 26-7 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week Thirteen. Anderson started at right tackle in place of Spencer Brown, and he helped pave the way for a 249-yard performance on the ground for Buffalo’s running backs. Anderson also started at left guard in Buffalo’s 35-8 season-closing victory over the New York Jets. When starting center Connor McGovern left Buffalo’s Divisional Round loss against the Denver Broncos to be evaluated for a head injury, it was Anderson who stepped in at center.
Positional outlook: Anderson is one of four players listed at center/guard on the current roster. Austin Corbett, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, and Connor McGovern are the others. Lloyd Cushenberry III is listed at center, O’Cyrus Torrence, Ar’Maj Reed-Adams, Bruno Fina, De’Metrius Weatherspoon, and Nick Broeker are listed at guard, and Tylan Grable and Jude Bowry are listed at tackle/guard.
2026 Offseason: Anderson is healthy and he has participated in offseason workouts to date.
2026 Season outlook: Barring something strange, Anderson is going to be on the 53-man roster. What’s to be determined is his role. Buffalo clearly thinks highly of him, and he’s proven himself capable of playing more at multiple positions over the last few seasons. He’s going to have a chance to compete for a starting spot at left guard, and it won’t surprise me at all if he ends up the starter there this season.
However, given the number of solid players competing for the gig, it also wouldn’t shock me if Anderson loses out and ends up coming off the bench once again. His 2024 role as the sixth lineman/third tight end has been usurped by standout Jackson Hawes, so if Anderson doesn’t win a starting spot, he will go back to appearing on special teams and in relief of injured players at multiple spots up front. That versatility is tremendously helpful for the Bills, and it’s possible that they could use it to break a tie at left guard, but not in Anderson’s favor.
If Buffalo thinks that Anderson and someone like Corbett are equal, but they view Anderson as more versatile, it’s possible that they use Corbett as the starter at left guard and Anderson as the first lineman off the bench. After all, he performed well at three positions last season. However, if Anderson is clearly the best option at left guard, he’ll be the guy there regardless of his versatility up front.
The left guard competition is going to be the best positional battle to watch on offense this summer. Anderson has earned this opportunity, and he has a great chance at winning the gig.
