Bills agree to sign OL McGovern; re-sign Martin, Matakevich
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills reached an agreement to sign Dallas Cowboys guard Connor McGovern to a three-year contract, a person with direct knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Monday.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal does not become official until the NFL’s signing period opens on Wednesday. The agreement was first reported by NFL.com.
McGovern was selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2019 draft, and had 29 starts in 45 games with the team over the past three years after spending his rookie season on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle. The 25-year-old addresses a pending need for Buffalo, with starting left guard Rodger Saffold and his backup, Bobby Hart, both pending unrestricted free agents.
In other moves, the Bills announced reaching agreements to re-sign punter Sam Martin and linebacker Tyler Matakevich and backup defensive back Cam Lewis before they were eligible to hit the free agent market.
Martin agreed to a three-year contract following his first season in Buffalo, in which his 47.7 average yards per punt ranked third on the team’s single-season list. The 10-year veteran was signed by the Bills in September after the team abruptly released rookie Matt Araiza, who was accused in a civil lawsuit of being involved in the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl while at San Diego State.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
The 33-year-old Martin spent his first seven NFL seasons in Detroit and two in Denver.
Matakevich is set to return for a fourth season in Buffalo after agreeing to a one-year contract. The seventh-year player, who spent his first four seasons in Pittsburgh, has spent a majority of his career being used in special team roles.
Lewis agreed to a one-year contract. The undrafted free agent out of the University at Buffalo, returns to the Bills for a fourth season, where he's filled in at cornerback and safety, and appeared in a career-best 13 games last season.
___
AP NFL: and