2020 FA Roundup: OT Victor Salako injury analysis

OT Victor Salako is a well-traveled man. His latest stop is with the Bills and will hopefully be his final stop in his NFL career as he attempts to find a home. He joins a Buffalo team with lots of talent & depth, making his journey even more difficult. However, he has shown the ability to adapt to the ever-changing cuts and demands of each NFL team.

Below is Salako’s known medical history:

UAB 2013-2014:

Played 2 seasons for them appearing in 24 out of a possible 24 games over the two years without any known injuries. He appeared to be on the rise as a prospect before UAB shuttered their program.

Oklahoma State 2015-2016:

Appeared in 26 out of a possible 26 games over his two seasons as a starter with the team without any publicly known injuries.

2017:

Signed as a UDFA by the Philadelphia Eagles following the draft and was a training camp casualty prior to the regular season. He was added onto the practice squad before getting picked up by the Cleveland Browns to their practice squad for the season.

2018:

Signed a reserve/futures deal with the Browns before finding a new home with the New York Giants and was with them through training camp. Following training camp cuts, he spent the season on the practice squad. 

2019:

Salako picked up where he left off with the Giants, making it through the offseason and training camp before suffering a shoulder injury. He was ultimately waived with an injury settlement due to the shoulder injury sustained in the preseason. 

There is little information regarding the shoulder injury with most reports indicating that it was an undisclosed injury. There are no reports on which side or the type of injury. 

He was later signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad roughly 6 weeks following getting cut by the Giants. This would indicate that the injury was likely minor and that he did not require surgery. He spent the rest of the season with the Bills on the practice squad before signing a reserves/futures contract with Buffalo.

Bills Injury Impact:

Salako has been relatively healthy despite playing in a very physical position. He appears to be on that level of talent where he regularly gets shots at the NFL, but doesn’t stick as an active roster member & is more of a developmental piece. 

Considering the practice squad size was increased following the new CBA, Salako could continue his development at the next level with the Bills for the 2020 season. His health could also play into his favor as some players including G Jon Feliciano & T Cody Ford continue to rehab from their offseason surgeries. 

With Salako being healthy, he could be a trade piece or depth in case of injury as there is little concern for the shoulder injury from 2019. While he doesn’t have the NFL pedigree yet, he has shown the ability to stick around in an NFL locker room.