While the Detroit Lions' roster needs remain larger than what their cap space currently allows them to remedy, it's fair to assume they'll be getting some relief by way of several contract restructurings and some cuts to the roster.
Jared Goff, Penei Sewell, and even Taylor Decker should anticipate some changes to their large deals, while Graham Glasgow should anticipate being a full cap casualty for Detroit.
That's the same for the Buffalo Bills, the AFC East powerhouse that has a ton of roster work to do on both sides of the ball in order to get back to the greatness they've seen in recent years under Josh Allen. One huge piece to that plan is finding a way to retain their All-Pro center, Connor McGovern, who is a free agent this offseason.
McGovern, per Spotrac, is expected to earn a deal in the range of $16.3 million per year. That's a huge commitment for Buffalo, who still need to clear up space to get out of the red. They also have to re-sign David Edwards, another crucial piece to their offensive line's success. If Buffalo chooses Edwards over McGovern given their similar price tags, Detroit has to be gunning hard for McGovern.
Detroit needs a full-court press planned for McGovern in free agency
Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine recently put together a list of perfect free agent signings for each team in the league, with McGovern listed as the Lions' perfect target. Ballentine wrote:
"The Lions' fall from Super Bowl contender to missing the playoffs has a direct tie to the drop in their offensive line play. Frank Ragnow's retirement probably hurt the team more than it was prepared for. Graham Glasgow moved to the pivot with mixed results. The Lions could use free agency to reset that. While Tyler Linderbaum is the biggest name, Bills center Connor McGovern is a free agent who finished ninth in the league in PFF grade. Signing him away from Buffalo would elevate the floor of the offensive line."
Linderbaum is out of the question for almost every team in the league (unless you're the Cleveland Browns, maybe). The Baltimore Ravens have hinted at their intent to set the market with their next deal for Linderbaum, who is the most highly-sought after center in free agency this offseason.
Once that domino falls, expect Buffalo to move quickly on either retaining Edwards or McGovern - they just likely cannot retain both.
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Detroit has its own cap issues to solve, but they feel a lot less complex since they're not struggling between having to sign one lineman over the other. Their most key lineman, Sewell, is locked in long-term, and Decker is already under contract through 2027. Rookie Tate Ratledge looks like a mainstay, and he's signed through 2028.
They just need a consistent left guard and center, with LG being a cheaper position they can target either through free agency or the draft. Christian Mahogany also looked fine at that position when he was healthy.
Signing a center like McGovern would be a game-changer, and would help Detroit with their draft strategy. They wouldn't need to reach on a center, and they'd have the security necessary to invest in their defensive line and pass rush over their line. If they can solve their cap woes while also extending Jahmyr Gibbs, they have to be in the mix for someone like McGovern for 2026.