Bills’ injury report gives some much-needed clarity to a position they can’t afford to lose ahead of playoff matchup vs. Jaguars
The final injury report was about as good as it’s going to get for the Buffalo Bills.
Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott spoke with WGR550 ahead of practice, ruling out linebacker Terrel Bernard, safety Damar Hamlin, and cornerback Maxwell Hairston for Sunday’s contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Fortunately for the fan base, there were no surprises in Friday’s final injury report, unlike earlier in the week when wide receiver Josh Palmer popped up as a last-second addition. Palmer, along with running back Ty Johnson, is questionable for Sunday.
A name that fans were keeping an eye out for during the week was kicker Matt Prater. Prater suffered an injury in the win over the Jets, which forced the team to bring in some emergency reinforcements in Matthew Wright. Prater was a full participant in Thursday’s injury report, and despite not kicking during Friday’s practice, the thought is he could be good to go if McDermott’s words ahead of practice hold. He’s officially listed as questionable.
They can’t afford to lose a kicker at this stage of the season, as Prater has been playing exceptionally well for Buffalo this season. Since his arrival, he’s been a reliable kicker, and having him back on the field will go a long way toward the team finding success on Sunday. All eyes will be on Buffalo over the next 48 hours to see what’s to come with Prater.
Additionally, another position they cannot afford to lose is that of tight end. Kincaid has been one of the most dominant tight ends across the entire league this season, breaking out in a big way. A day of full practice is more than a little encouraging for Sunday against the Jags.
Buffalo Bills’ Friday injury report
| Player | Injury | W/T/F |
|---|---|---|
| QB Josh Allen | Foot | Full/Full/Full |
| LB Terrel Bernard | Calf | DNP/DNP/DNP |
| S Cole Bishop | Ribs | Full/Full/Full |
| DE Joey Bosa | Hamstring | Full/Full/Limited |
| CB Maxwell Hairston | Ankle | DNP/DNP/DNP |
| S Damar Hamlin (IR) | Pectoral | Limited/Limited/Limited |
| RB Ty Johnson | Ankle | DNP/DNP/Limited |
| DT DaQuan Jones | Calf | Limited/Limited/Full |
| TE Dalton Kincaid | Knee | Limited/Limited/Full |
| DB Cam Lewis | Toe | Full/Full/Full |
| LB Matt Milano | Illness | DNP/Full/Full |
| WR Joshua Palmer | Ankle | DNP/DNP/DNP |
| S Jordan Poyer | Hamstring | Limited/Limited/Full |
| K Matt Prater | Right Quad | DNP/Full/DNP |
| DT T.J. Sanders | Shoulder | NA/Full/Full |
| LB Shaq Thompson | Neck | Limited/Limited/Limited |
Observations
It was a more positive than negative update from the head coach as he provided an update on defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who could see his practice window open as early as next week if Buffalo were able to advance.
With Bernard unable to go, it’s fortunate that linebacker Shaq Thompson has been limited in practice and is trending in the right direction. Thompson has been one of the most pivotal pickups of the offseason as the aging veteran has turned back the clock on Father Time and has been an elite contributor on the Bills’ defense. A big reason why Buffalo has been able to turn things around defensively over the season has been because of the work Thompson does at linebacker. Despite being questionable for the game, McDermott said he “should be good.”
All things considered, Buffalo enters Sunday about as healthy as they could reasonably be this time of year. While the absences will test the team’s depth once again, the return of key contributors and the optimism surrounding others gives the Bills a fighting chance to weather the storm. In the postseason, availability matters just as much as talent, and for Buffalo, enough of the right pieces appear to be in place to make a run when it matters the most.
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