One of many notable guards set to reach the market has quickly lined up a deal. David Edwards is set to join the Saints in free agency.
Team and player agreed to terms on Monday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Edwards will collect upwards of $15MM per season on this Saints accord, he adds. The Bills recently managed to prevent Connor McGovern from departing, but the same will not be true in this case.
Edwards entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the Rams in 2019. The former Wisconsin Badger started in 45 of his 53 regular-season Rams games, including all 17 during their Super Bowl-winning 2021 showing. A concussion suffered in 2022 held Edwards to four games that year and temporarily threw his career off track.
Heading into 2023, Edwards settled for the Bills’ modest one-year offer to reunite with ex-Rams offensive line coach Aaron Kromer. Although Edwards was a backup for his entire first season with the Bills, they thought enough of the 308-pounder to hand him a two-year, $6MM extension the next offseason.
Buffalo shifted McGovern from left guard to center in 2024, which opened up a spot for Edwards. He started in all 16 appearances and helped keep quarterback Josh Allen upright during an MVP-winning season. The Bills’ O-line yielded a league-low 14 sacks that year. The number skyrocketed to 40 in 2025, though Edwards was an effective member of a line that cleared the way for James Cook to win the rushing title. Over another 16-start campaign, Edwards finished as Pro Football Focus’ 22nd-ranked guard among 79 qualifiers.
The Saints entered free agency with the goal of improving a ground game that ranked 28th in the league last year. The additions of the 28-year-old Edwards and running back Travis Etienne should go a long toward achieving that. Free agent Dillon Radunz was the Saints’ primary left guard in 2025, but Edwards should provide a significant upgrade. Edwards will join tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. to give the Saints’ line an imposing left side and make life easier on second-year quarterback Tyler Shough.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.