Bills' Bold Prediction: Former Cowboys' Centerpiece wins starting LG spot

Buffalo Bills' free-agent addition La'el Collins, a former six-year starter in Dallas, is a sensible option to fill a potential left guard vacancy.

Jan 16, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle La'el Collins (71) in action during the NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the San Francisco 49ers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills are likely to have a different starter at left guard in 2024, and my preliminary endorsement goes to veteran La'el Collins.

Buffalo used a fifth-round draft pick on Georgia center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, a potential future starter, and added more competition to the position by signing veteran Will Clapp. Even in the wake of those moves, the signs point to starting left guard Connor McGovern moving over to center and filling the void created by Mitch Morse's departure.

McGovern has already been working on the center-quarterback relations with Josh Allen during OTAs.

"We get here, we're two of the first guys here. We're sitting in the training room, getting stretched out, hanging out right by each other for a good 45 [minutes] to an hour or so. I think that's part of it," said Allen following OTAs practice last month in Orchard Park.

If McGovern makes a seamless transition, the Bills need to identify his replacement at left guard. That's where Collins enters the equation.

The Bills, amongst other teams, reportedly kicked the tires on Collins last season, but deemed he hadn't yet returned to game shape after suffering an ACL tear late in the 2022 campaign with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Buffalo agreed to terms with Collins two months ago, and I believe they did so with the intention to try him out at left guard - the position where he started his NFL career.

The 6-foot-4 Collins made 11 consecutive starts as the Dallas Cowboys' left guard in 2015. He held the starting job heading into the 2016 campaign, but lasted only three weeks before needing season-ending foot surgery. Upon his return in 2017, Collins shifted to right tackle and started all 16 games that season.

It's also worth mentioning that Collins already has a working relationship with McGovern from their days as teammates in Dallas. If McGovern is at center, it makes sense to see if Collins can fill the void at left guard. If so, that allows Bills' veteran David Edwards to remain in the role that he mastered in 2023.

Edwards was used as a sixth lineman on multiple occasions, providing extra juice to Buffalo's rushing attack. It's always a positive to have a starter-level backup like Edwards ready and available as an injury replacement, too.

Maybe Edwards winds up being the starter or Van Pran-Granger pulls off a stunner by winning the starting center job, which would leave McGovern at left guard. Or maybe the Bills will have two former Cowboys starting on their interior offensive line in 2024.