The Buffalo Bills have wrapped up their fourth week of the preseason as they prepare for the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday. Injuries continue to affect the availability of many up and down the roster, but the team has managed to avoid major injuries otherwise.
Below are all the injuries and updates coming out of the fourth week of the preseason including when players have returned, what injuries they are dealing with, and any concerns moving forward.
Camp Injuries
FB Reggie Gilliam (Groin)
Gilliam returned to practice after missing all of last week with a groin injury originally sustained in the scrimmage on August 4. He was able to return to practice after missing five practices on Tuesday.
DT DJ Dale (Ribs)
After getting fallen on during the Colts game, Dale did not miss practice, more likely sore and hurt rather than outright injured.
OT Tommy Doyle (Right knee)
After falling on his right knee due to getting rolled up on early in the second quarter, Doyle exited and underwent an MRI to ensure no structural damage to his surgically repaired ACL. He did not miss practice as a result.
RB Damien Harris (Right knee)
Harris sat out of practice just over a week after dealing with what the team described as right knee soreness. He had a sleeve on the knee at one point the week prior but was able to return to practice Wednesday, participating in drills.
All of Harris’s issues were to his left side last year which could rule out any chronic issues. He has had his share of injuries so when he missed time, it’s more of an concern.
DT Eli Ankou (Calf)
Ankou appeared to suffer a calf strain in Saturday’s win over the Colts, missing practice all of this week. He has had a history of calf injuries dating back several years including one that had him start on PUP last season, missing the first two weeks of training camp.
I would bet money that this is the same side from last year he is working through. It remains to be seen how long he will be out based on severity, the hope is a week or two.
CB Cam Lewis (Right groin)
Lewis returned to practice Thursday after missing time since August 6 after he attempted to bat down a pass, falling hard to the ground. He has firmly entrenched himself into the conversation to make the 53-man roster and his return Thursday can only help further his chances.
LB Terrel Bernard (Hamstring)
Bernard missed the Colts preseason game following an early practice hamstring strain during the early portion of practice on August 10. He has been working off to the side rehabbing, but this is the latest issue for Bernard after a variety of injuries suffered at Baylor.
This is the first documented soft tissue injury for Bernard, but he is not expected to play in Saturday’s game and there’s a chance he may not even play against the Bears if he can’t get into practice at some point next week.
LB Baylon Spector (Back)
Spector missed Wednesday’s practice with a back injury, though it’s unclear when this happened. This may have been more of a maintenance day but it’s promising to see that he did not miss much time.
WR Gabe Davis (Rest)
Davis missed Wednesday’s practice due to general soreness, needing a rest day. Considering how hard he has been practicing and providing highlight heel plays, it’s not surprising he needed a day off. He returned to practice Thursday.
DT Jordan Phillips (Right shoulder)
Phillips returned to practice on August 16 and has been steadily increasing his workload throughout camp as he works back from his right rotator cuff tear and labrum surgery. He is seen wearing a shoulder harness below for added protection to not stress the range of motion of the shoulder and suffer any setbacks.
PUP
DE Von Miller (Right ACL)
Miller continues to work off to the side rehabbing as he works towards returning to play. He has not been seen working out to the side since August 4 until reappearing on August 18. However, reporters may not be highlighting his participation as nothing new has changed. He may also have had a minor setback, though there is no way to confirm that without the team saying anything.
While he did rehab without a compression sleeve or brace, his participation does not tell us much about his progress. The team appears on track to keep him on PUP, missing at minimum the first four games.
LB Tyler Matakevich (Right calf)
Matakevich returned to practice Tuesday after starting the season on the PUP after suffering a calf strain prior to camp. He spent 22 days on PUP but it’s unknown when he suffered the injury. It’s likely he suffered the injury in mid-July, which put his timeline to return at roughly about a month, longer than the average.
Considering they had the time to rehab him properly, this may have factored into the longer duration to avoid a recurrence later on.
Observations
The Bills continue to look overall good with injuries and have dodged some bullets in the first preseason game. These types of bumps and bruises are expected as these players continue to ramp up their activity for the regular season.
Top Photo Credit: Duane Burleson/AP
