After not addressing the position in the NFL Draft, the Bills looked to already-established players to fill out the defensive end position. On May 5, the Buffalo Bills signed recently waived DE Kameron Cline, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts.
Cline has seen minimal playing time since entering the league as a UDFA in 2020 with the Colts. Despite the lack of extensive playing time, Cline has stuck with the Colts either on the active roster or practice squad the entire time. He has had several injuries that have limited his abilities but has also avoided the hits on his body that could prevent him from playing altogether.
Below is Kameron’s Cline publicly reported injury history and concerns moving forward.
College
South Dakota
2017
Upper body injury vs Northern Iowa.
Cline suffered an upper-body injury playing against Northern Iowa, walking off under his own power. Additional details were not available following the game, but he did not miss any games that season.
2018
Undisclosed injury, missed 4 games.
Cline missed the final four games of the season with an undisclosed injury according to this preseason outlook article. There were no reports of surgery or exact specifics of the injury.
NFL
2021 Indianapolis Colts
Hamstring strain, side not specified, preseason game 3 vs Detroit Lions.
Cline suffered a hamstring strain during the third preseason game against the Detroit Lions, initially questionable to return. It’s not clear whether he did return, but the injury appeared to be minor as he was cut several days later and re-signed to the practice squad. He, fortunately, did not require an injury settlement.
2022 Colts
Concussion, preseason game 2 vs Detroit Lions.
Cline suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions and was unable to return for the remainder of the contest. According to game logs, he was able to play in the next game against Tampa Bay before getting cut and re-signed to the practice squad.
Buffalo Bills Injury Outlook
Cline hasn’t missed much time due to injuries other than the final four games in 2018. Considering South Dakota is a smaller school, the coverage is typically less compared to a Power 5 school or even a city with a larger population that can devote resources to covering the games.
Both the hamstring strain and concussion are notable during his time with the Colts, but there is not anything overly concerning. Both are common injuries and appear to have been addressed properly at the time. Cline may want to avoid playing against the Detroit Lions due to the unfortunate coincidences of getting injured each year, but he doesn’t carry much injury baggage.
He will need to find a way to stay healthy to maximize his chances of making the roster, especially with the volatility at the position. Von Miller is coming off his ACL tear, AJ Epenesa and Boogie Basham have largely underperformed during their time in Buffalo, and there is an opportunity for a player like Cline to find a roster spot as depth and special teams if things fall his way.
The Bills continue to sign low-risk players that they can develop cheaply to compete at training camp. Cline’s talent will be the ultimate determining factor if he makes the roster, but any injury could also derail his chances.
Top Photo Credit: SportsIllustrated.com
