The Buffalo Bills are protecting one of their offensive linemen.
Buffalo placed a $3.52 million right-of-first-refusal tender on offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark on Wednesday, giving the team the ability to match any contract offer he receives from another team.
Van Demark, who turns 28 on March 22, is a restricted free agent and can negotiate with other teams. If he signs an offer sheet elsewhere, the Bills would have five days to match it. Because he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent, Buffalo would receive no draft compensation if it declined to match an offer.
The tender suggests the Bills believe Van Demark could draw interest on the open market. Buffalo has spent the past four seasons developing the 6-foot-7, 307-pound lineman and appears intent on keeping him as part of its offensive line depth.
If the BIlls didn’t tender Van Demark before the start of free agency at 4 p.m. ET, he would’ve become an unrestricted free agent.
Van Demark can negotiate with other teams and sign an offer sheet until April 17, which the Bills would have five days to match.
Van Demark has appeared in 43 over the last three seasons, including all 17 games in 2025. His offensive role has steadily grown, with his snap counts rising from 47 in 2023 to 199 in 2024 and 312 last season, when he played 28% of Buffalo’s offensive snaps.
Originally signed to the Bills’ practice squad in 2022 after being waived by the Indianapolis Colts during final roster cuts, Van Demark has served primarily as Buffalo’s swing tackle and filled in when starters Dion Dawkins or Spencer Brown have missed time.
The tender more than triples Van Demark’s salary. He earned $1.03 million last season after the Bills held the exclusive rights designation to retain him. Earlier in his career he made $207,000 in 2022, $750,000 in 2023 and $915,000 in 2024.
Buffalo has already addressed offensive line depth earlier this offseason by re-signing guard Alec Anderson to a one-year contract worth $3 million, including $1.8 million guaranteed.
The Bills may have an opening on the interior line after starting left guard David Edwards left in free agency to sign with the New Orleans Saints. Anderson could compete for that role while Van Demark remains Buffalo’s primary backup tackle.
