ORCHARD PARK – With starting center Connor McGovern sidelined after suffering what appeared to be a hamstring injury – there has been no official confirmation from the Buffalo Bills – in the blue and red practice Saturday, this provides an ideal opportunity for the team to assess their depth at the position.
The Bills have had 2024 fifth-round pick Sedrick Van Pran-Granger in their building for two-plus years but he has seen very little game action, almost all of it coming in the meaningless season finales in 2024 and 2025 when the Bills already had their playoff position secured and he started for a resting McGovern.
This past offseason they also signed veteran Lloyd Cushenberry, a seventh-year veteran who has started all 80 games he has played in the NFL for the Broncos and Titans and who played for LSU’s 2019 national championship team when Joe Brady was the passing game coordinator.
Those two players split the first-team reps for the rest of Saturday’s practice, and that was the case again Monday when the Bills got back to work at One Bills Drive inside the fieldhouse.
“The center position outside of the quarterback is the hardest position on the offensive side of the ball,” Brady said. “We have a guy like Lloyd who has a lot of stripes and has played a lot of football, and you got a guy like Sed that has been progressing as he’s been here. We have a lot of confidence in that. I don’t want anybody to ever get injured, but when we go through this it’s real, that’s what happens in games. And guys like Lloyd or Sed just going in, not blinking, and you just got to call the game and roll.”
Center will be a key area to watch for as long as McGovern is out, but there are other players who will be under the microscope in the next few weeks based on how they performed during the St. John Fisher University portion of camp and moving forward back at One Bills Drive.
Players who are on the rise
ILB Kaleb Elarms-Orr
He has been one of the most impactful players thus far, and while he may not be ready to push Dorian Williams or Terrel Bernard out of the starting lineup, it would not be a shock if he eventually does. One thing Brady and everyone who comes in contact with Elarms-Orr has learned about the fourth-round rookie is that he’s all business. This dude does not smile, he’s always got an all-business look on his face, and he’s in go-mode all the time. He seems like he’d be the kind of guy who falls asleep every night with his playbook resting on his chest.
NCB Dee Alford
It wasn’t really a one-for-one swap, the free agent signing of Alford for the free agent departure of long-time nickel corner Taron Johnson. That’s because Alford will be asked to play the position differently than Johnson who was essentially a third linebacker in Sean McDermott’s defense and someone who was on the field as much 90% of the time. Alford will be used in certain packages, and so far he seems to be fitting in well and making plays when the opportunities have been there including an interception of Josh Allen the other night.
WR Dante Pettis
He just joined the team a little more than a week ago so he’s up against it in terms of competing as he learns a new offense and tries to find a way to open Brady’s eyes. One way to do it would be as a punt returner, a job that is wide open at this point. As he has bounced around the NFL (Buffalo is his fifth team since 2018), he has 92 receptions for 1,231 yards and 13 TDs, but he also has 51 punt returns for 373 yards. He’s been an average blocker, but if he can prove his worth as a blocker and returner, he could beat out Trent Sherfield and Mecole Hardman for the No. 6 receiver spot.
Players who need to pick it up
CB Maxwell Hairston
He has been sidelined for three practices with some type of injury; again, the Bills have not been forthcoming with injury updates this summer. Whatever it is, he’s a player that can’t afford to miss time. His rookie season was sabotaged by a training camp knee injury and he was never able to unseat Tre’Davious White as a starter. He entered this season as the penciled in starter at CB2, but now 2026 second-round pick Davison Igbinosun is getting a great chance to make headway in the competition.
DT DeWayne Carter
The 2024 third-round draft pick missed all of 2025 with an Achilles injury and he’s trying to re-establish his place on the team in a new defense. He gained weight in the offseason in order to compete for the nose tackle job, but he has been underwhelming and while he’s no threat to Deone Walker, he has probably taken fewer first-team reps than Phidarian Mathis.
OLB Mike Danna
He was a second-tier free agent signee because he has experience in an odd-man front defense with the Chiefs where he won two Super Bowl rings. However, part of the reason why Brandon Beane brought him in was as insurance in case Michael Hoecht’s return from his Achilles’ surgery got sidetracked. That hasn’t happened. Hoecht has been a full go and right now, with Hoecht, Greg Rousseau, Bradley Chubb, and TJ Parker, it’s a crowded position and the Bills also have third-year player Javon Solomon who has a chance to be a core special teamer. A roster spot is anything but a lock for Danna.
Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for more than four decades including 37 years as the full-time beat writer/columnist for the D&C. He has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @salmaiorana.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: These 3 Bills are surging while 3 others are trending down
Reporting by Sal Maiorana, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sal Maiorana, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
