Bills urged to stop All-Pro from retiring, sign him to Buffalo instead originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Buffalo Bills have an opening on their offensive line.

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While they re-signed Connor McGovern this offseason, they let David Edwards leave in free agency for the New Orleans Saints.

Now, they’ve got to figure out who might play left guard in 2026.

“Alec Anderson was a useful sixth lineman for the Bills in 2024 and has been their utility player up front over the past couple of years, but he’s likely best at tackle,” ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wrote in a new article on Wednesday. “The Bills tendered swing tackle Ryan Van Demark and could try moving him inside, but (Brandon) Beane should really pursue a more significant solution in between McGovern and Dion Dawkins.”

Barnwell goes on to suggest a notable solution: Joel Bitonio.

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Bitonio has made seven Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams while with the Cleveland Browns, but his future is uncertain.

“It’s unclear whether Joel Bitonio plans on retiring or if he would be willing to leave Cleveland, but heading to Buffalo would obviously give the veteran lineman a better chance of winning a Super Bowl,” Barnwell writes.

MORE: Why the Kansas City Chiefs traded for Justin Fields

Bitonio seems to be biding his time, but maybe that’s specifically to find a better landing spot with a chance of winning.

There might be only one other obvious option on the market for Buffalo at the moment.

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“If Bitonio’s not an option, the best veteran guard left on the market is Kevin Zeitler, who slipped during his lone season in Tennessee,” Barnwell writes. “Zeitler’s still a competent interior lineman, but he’s 36 years old and has spent his career at right guard.”

It’s been an odd offseason as far as supply versus demand all across the offensive line, which is why it’s so key that the Bills got McGovern back. There were really only two starting-caliber centers available in free agency, and as many as six or seven teams needed a starting center.

The Bills may be facing that kind of crunch at left guard, though, and if Bitonio isn’t a solution, it’ll get tougher.

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