Underrated Bills OL breaks the transition to the center: it’s “my natural position”

An off-season position change is usually a daunting task; Asking an athlete, in any sport, to learn the intricacies and responsibilities of a new position can be a burden, for some, a demand that puts them behind the proverbial eight and sets them up for failure.

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case for Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Connor McGovern during his transition to center this offseason. For what?

This is the position where he is most comfortable.

McGovern, a sixth-year player who started 17 games for the Bills at left guard last season after signing a three-year contract with the team the previous spring, is being moved to center this year following Buffalo’s decision during the offseason to release solid starter Mitch. Walrus. The 32-year-old has been the anchor of the Bills’ offensive line for five straight years, his absence paving the way for a wave of changes not only for his former unit, but also for quarterback Josh Allen; The signal-caller played the vast majority of his professional career with Morse as his long snapper.

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With a multitude of additional responsibilities to handle compared to guards and tackles, center is one of the most difficult positions in football – it’s not a position an offensive lineman can easily transition to. McGovern’s current move is not necessarily a “transition,” as he has extensive experience in the position; he logged nearly 1,000 snaps at the position throughout his college career, also seeing a handful of snaps at center during his four years with the Dallas Cowboys.

It’s the position the 26-year-old always wanted to have, but not one his employers ever needed him to fill consistently. Now finally blessed with the proverbial ball as the anchor of Bufflao’s offensive line, McGovern is relishing the opportunity.

“I would say center is my natural position,” McGovern told reporters at One Bills Drive after Wednesday’s minicamp practice. “It’s just that (me) I’m going home.

“I missed it a lot, honestly. I was originally recruited as a center and then new coaches came in (in Dallas) and I was moved to guard and I always kind of (searched) my way to center. Every time something happened, I would play a little, then always come back to guard. Now, officially, I can return to the center permanently, for now. So I’m very happy.

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McGovern’s preference for occupying the middle of the line dates back to his childhood; The Larksville, Pennsylvania native was undersized as a youth, so he was frequently tasked with playing center. Although he’s been moved around quite a bit throughout his college and professional career – seeing snaps at the middle of the line, at both guard spots and even at fullback – he’s never wavered when returned to the center, because that is the position he occupied when developing his passion for the game.

“It’s hard to believe, but, surprisingly, I was short growing up,” McGovern said. “So I was always a center because I was usually the smallest, and then once I finally hit my growth spurt, I stayed at the center.

“I went to Penn State as a center and moved to guard and then moved back to center. It was always something natural, I always liked being the guy in the middle. It was always comfortable for me.

The relationship between a center and his quarterback is one of the most important relationships in football, as poor chemistry between a signal-caller and his snapper can potentially derail an entire offense. McGovern already has a relationship with Allen thanks to spending the 2023 season in Buffalo, and the two have already worked together to establish their trade.

“It’s just a matter of getting used to each other,” McGovern said of Allen. “I would say after the first three or four reps, he figured out where I was putting the ball, I figured out where he naturally liked his hands. I just left there.

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“Mitch (Morse) had a little different catching technique. He usually brought it a little further to the left. The first day Josh and I worked on it, I discovered where Josh liked to put his hands and where I could feel him, and so we got used to it.

McGovern is already a trusted voice on Buffalo’s offensive line, a testament to the leadership role he carved out for himself last season. Now the undisputed leader of the unit, he is eager to help the group prosper.

“It’s the center’s job to make sure everyone is on the same page,” McGovern said. “Last year I helped Mitch a lot with the calls, but ultimately it was his show to run. Now it’s mine, and I love the extra weight on my shoulders to do this. I just have to be the tip of the spear.