The Buffalo Bills may have found a low-cost answer to one of their biggest offseason questions. By signing veteran offensive lineman Austin Corbett to a one-year contract, the team is hoping to replicate a successful strategy from three years ago, when they picked up David Edwards on a similarly inexpensive deal.
Edwards, who started at left guard for the Bills, left in free agency to join the New Orleans Saints. To fill that gap, general manager Brandon Beane has turned to a familiar formula: bring in a proven but injury-plagued starter on a short-term, team-friendly contract. While the exact financial terms of Corbett’s agreement have not been made public, it is almost certainly close to the NFL’s minimum salary for a player with seven or more years of experience, which stands at $1.3 million for the 2026 season.
During the league meetings in Phoenix, Beane openly acknowledged the reasoning behind the signing. He explained that the team was able to acquire a player with extensive starting experience at a discount not because of any lack of talent, but because Corbett has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons. The general manager described the move as adding a high-upside player at a lower price point due to medical concerns rather than ability.
A Proven Starter When Healthy
Austin Corbett, now 30 years old, brings a résumé that includes a Super Bowl championship and 78 career starts. After being selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft—just 26 picks after the Bills took quarterback Josh Allen—Corbett spent time with the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, and Carolina Panthers. His most productive stretch came in 2022, when he started all 17 games for the Panthers. However, the following two seasons were marred by a series of significant injuries, including a torn ACL, an MCL issue, and a biceps injury. Those setbacks limited him to just nine total appearances in 2023 and 2024. He rebounded somewhat in 2025, playing in 13 games.
Now, the Bills are betting that Corbett can recapture his earlier form. His experience alone makes him an immediate candidate to take over the left guard spot that David Edwards occupied before signing a four-year, $61 million contract with the Saints.
An Open Competition for the Starting Job
Beane has made it clear that the left guard position is far from settled. While Corbett has been added to the roster, he will have to compete for the starting role. Returning to the team on a one-year deal of his own is Alec Anderson, a versatile but relatively unproven lineman who primarily served as a sixth offensive lineman in 2025. Anderson, 26, made spot starts at both right tackle and left guard last season, and his familiarity with the Bills’ system currently gives him an edge in the eyes of some observers
Nevertheless, Beane emphasized that the job will be determined by what happens on the practice field, not by seniority or past performance. He stated that from the present moment until the team puts on pads in training camp, the competition will be completely open. In terms of sheer starting experience, Corbett holds a clear advantage over Anderson. Still, the coaching staff intends to let the battle play out naturally.
Parallels to the David Edwards Signing
The similarities between the Corbett signing and the Edwards signing three years ago are striking and deliberate. First, the two players share a direct history: Corbett and Edwards were starting linemates on the Los Angeles Rams for two seasons, in 2020 and 2021. While Edwards manned the left guard position, Corbett held down the right side. Together, they started every game from Week 1 through the Super Bowl, helping the Rams win the championship in the 2021 season.
Beyond that shared background, the contractual situations are nearly identical. When the Bills signed Edwards in 2023, they gave him a one-year deal worth $1.7 million. At the time, Edwards was coming off a season that had been derailed by multiple concussions, leaving other teams wary of his long-term durability. Buffalo took a chance on him, and that gamble paid off handsomely for both the organization and the player. Edwards stayed healthy, performed well, and eventually earned a massive payday from New Orleans.
Now, the Bills are trying to repeat that success with Corbett. Like Edwards before him, Corbett is joining Buffalo on a prove-it contract following a stretch of injury troubles. If he can stay on the field and win the starting job, the team will have secured a capable left guard for barely more than the minimum salary. If he struggles or gets hurt again, the financial risk is minimal.
What Corbett Brings to the Table
Corbett’s playing style and positional flexibility add further value. Although he is being considered primarily for the left guard spot, he has experience on both sides of the interior line. His time with the Rams and Panthers showed that he can hold up in pass protection while also generating movement in the running game. His familiarity with multiple blocking schemes should help him adjust quickly to Buffalo’s system.
Moreover, the Bills have a strong track record of getting productive seasons out of veteran offensive linemen on short-term deals. Beyond Edwards, players like Rodger Saffold and Quinton Spain also performed well for the team after signing modest contracts. The front office seems to believe that Corbett fits that same mold: a player whose value has been temporarily depressed by injuries but whose fundamental skills remain intact.
The Bigger Picture for Buffalo’s Offensive Line
Losing David Edwards to free agency was a significant blow. Four years and $61 million is the kind of contract that Buffalo simply could not match given their other financial commitments. But rather than panic or overpay for a replacement, Beane has taken a patient, opportunistic approach. Adding Corbett for what amounts to a veteran minimum salary allows the Bills to preserve salary cap space for other needs while still bringing in a legitimate competitor for the starting job.
At the same time, the team is not simply handing Corbett the position. Alec Anderson will have every opportunity to win the job, and it is possible that other additions could still be made before training camp. But as of now, the left guard battle shapes up as one of the most intriguing position fights of the Bills’ offseason.
If Corbett wins the job and stays healthy, the signing will be remembered as another savvy, low-risk move by Brandon Beane. If he does not, the Bills have lost very little. Either way, the team has given itself a credible option to replace David Edwards without breaking the bank. And that, in the modern NFL, is often the difference between a good front office and a great one.
