BREAKING: Bills Sign OG David Edwards

The Buffalo Bills made another addition to their offensive line this afternoon, signing OG David Edwards to a one-year contract, the team announced.

Edwards was a fifth-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2019 NFL Draft after spending three years at Wisconsin (he red-shirted his freshman year), where he helped pave the way for RB Jonathan Taylor. In 37 college games, Edwards made 31 starts at right tackle.

Once he got to the NFL, he was coached for two years by current Bills OL coach Aaron Kromer, who converted him to a guard. As a rookie in 2019, Edwards played in 16 games, making 10 starts at RG. In 2020, he played in 16 games and made 14 starts at LG. In 2021, Edwards made all 17 starts at LG, helping the Rams win the Super Bowl. And then, this past season, he returned as the starting left guard but dealt with a concussion, only making four starts.

Furthermore, Edwards is similar to newly signed OG Connor McGovern in that both players are 25-26 years old coming off of their rookie contracts. The Bills view these players as guys who have yet to hit their peak in the NFL and think that someone like Kromer can tap into their potential.

Here’s a look at Edwards’ stats through his first four years in the NFL.

Depth Chart

David Edwards said in his introductory press conference (via Zoom) that while he has position flexibility, the Bills envision him playing one of the guard positions. Edwards joins McGovern, Ryan Bates, and Ike Boettger as the four guards listed on the depth chart.

The Buffalo Bills re-signed David Quessenberry earlier this week as a backup swing tackle. Quessenberry played in all 16 games last season, making three starts. In 396 snaps, the 32-year old allowed four sacks, had two penalties called on him, and finished with a 59.3 PFF grade.

With 12 offensive linemen under contract now, it seems less likely that the Bills will target OL early in the draft, especially on the interior. Going into the offseason, I thought they would sign a RT to give Spencer Brown some competition and draft a guard relatively early. However, they have almost done the opposite so far, as Quessenberry is more of a depth piece than a fringe starter. They could still target a tackle high in the draft, or they may just be setting themselves up to draft defense first, particularly a middle linebacker to replace Tremaine Edmunds.

Featured Image: Sports Illustrated