No roster need is more important for the LA Chargers than the center position. The Chargers are currently without any starting interior offensive linemen after releasing Mekhi Becton and need to land an impact center that can run the entire operation.
Tyler Linderbaum is the biggest name on the market and would be a definitive culture-shifter for the Chargers. However, given his price tag and the Chargers' reluctance to operate at the top of the free-agent market, he may not actually be a target for the Bolts.
This shifts the focus to Buffalo Bills center Connor McGovern. McGovern is clearly the second-best center on the free-agent market and would still be a huge get for the Bolts. Even better, unlike Linderbaum and the Ravens, it doesn't appear as if the Bills are prioritizing bringing the veteran center back.
McGovern told Tim Graham of The Athletic that the Bills haven't contacted him once since the start of the offseason. For that reason, McGovern is assuming he will play elsewhere in 2026.
"In my gut, that says it's over and done"Connor McGovern on his Bills' tenure
Bills are opening the door for the Chargers to sign Connor McGovern
Well, that's one team Chargers fans don't have to worry about. It's hard to imagine the Bills would go the entire offseason without reaching out to McGovern only to prioritize him at the 11th hour. And even then, McGovern probably doesn't feel very valued at this point and may want to explore opportunities elsewhere.
Buffalo's perceived lack of interest is not an indictment on McGovern's talent, either. The Bills are currently over the 2026 salary cap and need to free up contract space to pay their own draft class. Center is not a position you can spend big on in free agency when you have cap issues.
The Chargers don't have that issue with over $90 million in salary cap space this offseason. They can operate near the top of the market for McGovern and make him the second-highes- paid center in this year's free-agent class. As long as the annual salary doesn't start with a 2, the Chargers can make it happen.
The 28-year-old center ranked 15th among 41 graded centers on Pro Football Focus last season. His 73.4 pass-blocking grade wasn't just better than Linderbaum's, but it also ranked sixth in the league. McGovern's only true subpar season as a pass-blocker was in 2020, which was his first season as a starter.
Does McGovern have the same ceiling as Linderbaum? Probably not. But his pass-blocking floor is higher and he will come at a more affordable price. With other roster needs to address this offseason, the blend of impact and affordability very well might make McGovern the Chargers' top target.
And if that is the case, Wednesday's news is music to GM Joe Hortiz's ears. With McGovern's existing team out of the race, the Chargers have the ultimate advantage with cap space and contendership that can bring McGovern to LA.