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The Buffalo Bills are getting graded for their moves in NFL free agency that directly impact quarterback Josh Allen.
The Buffalo Bills were one of the more active teams in NFL free agency, and they’ve done a mix of hanging onto players that they could have let walk and bringing on new talent. Now, as the week wraps up on Friday, March 13, the Bills are getting graded for their moves.
Quarterback Josh Allen is at the center of all things Bills. He can’t be the only hope for the team, but no matter what, he’s the center of the Buffalo Bills, and any hope to get to the Super Bowl goes through him.
“Despite the top football executive’s consolidated power and a new head coach, the Buffalo Bills — as always — will go as far as their franchise quarterback takes them,” Tim Graham of The Athletic noted in a Friday, March 13 piece.
Buffalo Bills Get High Grades for Their Free Agency Moves, Especially to Help Josh Allen
In a Monday, March 9 feature for The Athletic that opened the week, Mike Jones and Daniel Popper rave about the Bills’ move to keep center Connor McGovern. The Bills signed McGovern to a four-year, $52 million contract extension, keeping him through the 2029 season So, they have an A grade here.
“Josh Allen had to be thrilled by this development. Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane got the deal done to keep the Bills’ starting center under contract before he had the ability to talk to other teams,” Jones says in the feature. “The signing means Buffalo hangs onto one of the best pass-protecting centers in the league, and also one of its strongest leaders.”
Jones adds, “The 28-year-old McGovern’s communication and recognition along the line is viewed as a massive help to Allen and the offense.”
In Graham’s separate feature for The Athletic, get into the weeds on the DJ Moore trade. He likes the deal, even though he thinks it’s an overpay.
“The trade for DJ Moore might have been an overpay, but he’s an upgrade over any receiver on the roster over the past two years,” he notes in the piece. “Edge rusher Bradley Chubb arrives with attractive production but a checkered injury history.”
He adds, “Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is a baller, but there’s a reason he’s on his fifth team in the past year.”
More Grades for the Buffalo Bills Indicated Smart Moves
In a Wednesday, March 11 piece for CBS Sports, Zachary Pereles gives the team a solid B+ for their free agency moves and the Moore trade.
“The Bills were never likely to keep both McGovern and Moore, but keeping one of them is a win,” he notes. “McGovern is a stud, and replacing a guard can often be easier than replacing a center.
He adds, “The Moore addition was a likely overpay, but Buffalo had really backed itself into a corner at wide receiver, and he is a significant upgrade. The Bills have had to navigate treacherous waters financially, but getting Alford and Chubb were solid bits of business.”
So, the grades are in, and the Buffalo Bills are getting solid marks for their offseason moves. Next up, we’ll see what they do in the 2026 NFL draft to get this franchise to the Super Bowl.
Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter for Heavy Sports covering the NFL, NBA and college football. Anne Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson
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