After a rough, injury-filled preseason, the Bills finally mercifully end it with a preseason game at home against the Carolina Panthers on Saturday. In a game which no starters will play in order to preserve their health, the Bills are hoping to get through this game with the players they have remaining and to avoid any further injuries.
By my count, the Bills have had 34 different players deal with at least one injury this preseason, the most that I’ve found looking back over the last few seasons. While there have been other seasons that have come close to that number, it either shows the team is taking every little nick and scratch seriously or the law of averages are hitting them hard.
Either way, below are all the injuries from the past week and outlook as the Bills prepare for their last preseason game and roster cut downs.
Injury Updates
Offense
QB Mitchell Trubisky (Left Knee)
Trubisky was seen with a sleeve on his left leg at practice for the first time since his injury on Saturday. He followed up the following day with a hinged brace and has great difficulty flexing his knee when he walks.
He is looking like he has at least a Grade 2, if not Grade 3 MCL sprain that will hopefully respond to rehab. While Sean McDermott hinted at the idea that Trubisky could be ready Week 1, I am not as bullish on his return. I can see him starting the season on IR for at least the first four games, potentially coming back closer to midseason.
WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Neck)
MVS continues to work off to the side as he recovers from his neck injury that is deemed week-to-week. Sean McDermott noted that the injury would be close to extending into the regular season.
While that is promising news, I believe this is more coachspeak so as to not tip their hand as to what they will do roster wise. I believe MVS can return to play this year, but it may be longer than what McDermott is stating. I would not be surprised if he is a short-term IR candidate to begin the season.
TE Quintin Morris (Right Shoulder)
Morris continues to work off to the side as he recovers from a shoulder injury that is feared to be a labrum tear. The fact that they haven’t placed him on injured reserve already is promising but suggests two things. Either he tries to brace the shoulder and play through the injury or he gets placed on injured reserve after roster cut downs for more rehab.
Surgery could be an option but it would be a real aggressive timeline to return.
WR Curtis Samuel (Turf Toe)
After Monday’s press conference revealed that Samuel is working through a turf toe injury, the team is more optimistic on his availability for Week 1. Considering he will have had 26 days to rehab, it’s realistic that he could return without any lingering issues.
We will have to see how he responds to practice and if he has any setbacks during rehab, but I am optimistic that he can return without minimal issues given the timeframe.
To read more on Trubisky, Morris, MVS, and Samuel, click here.
OL Travis Clayton (Right Shoulder)
Clayton continues to work off to the side rehabbing due to a shoulder injury likely sustained on July 26. I feel at this point it’s either a rotator cuff or labrum and they are waiting for him to undergo surgery until after roster cut downs.
WR Xavier Johnson (Left Leg)
Johnson required the assistance of training staff for several moments on Wednesday for his left leg before returning to practice. He was not limited during Thursday’s practice.
OL Will Clapp (Concussion)
Clapp left practice on August 20 midway through practice with an undisclosed injury. On August 22, it was announced that he was placed in the NFL concussion protocol. He has to pass through the five stages before being cleared to return. For what it’s worth, this is only the second recorded concussion this preseason, the other being OL Mike Edwards early in camp.
Defense
LB Baylon Spector (Right Calf)
Spector is still working through his right calf injury sustained on August 13. He has been deemed week-to-week and is rehabbing as able. Yet another player that could be on short-term IR to begin the season.
LB Matt Milano (Left Bicep)
Milano has not been spotted at practice since his injury which strongly suggests he has had surgery fairly recently to repair his torn distal biceps tendon. The next news on him will be when he is placed on IR as part of roster cut downs to eventually return.
To read more, click here.
DE Casey Toohill (Groin)
Toohill was able to return from his groin injury on August 20 that had kept him out since August 8, practicing in full all week.
S Mike Edwards (Right Hamstring)
Edwards was able to return to practice in a limited role on August 21. He has slowly ramped up over the last few days before getting a full practice in at the stadium on August 22. He is making solid progress after being off for the last three weeks.
He could realistically play Week 1 given the time off and time to ramp up, but I would still expect the team to limit his snaps once he gets into live game reps. A very positive sign after being out during OTAs for a right shoulder surgery.
S Damar Hamlin (Left Hamstring)
Hamlin has been out since August 15 with a left hamstring strain that he noted that was minor. He has been practicing off to the side and observed running through various individual drills to the side. His injury does appear minor and the team is being cautious in his return due to the other injuries at the position.
S Cole Bishop (Left Shoulder)
Bishop continues to ramp up his level of participation in camp after suffering a left shoulder injury on July 30 which is believed to be a left scapular fracture.
He has been in the red non-contact jersey going through individual drills and catching balls as his pain has likely decreased. If it is a fracture, they need to wait until it is fully healed before he can initiate contact which may be several weeks still. He could certainly be ready for Week 1, but they may make him inactives if he hasn’t gotten the live reps yet.
He is one person that I do not expect to go to injured reserve as he has had ample time to heal. Furthermore, if he goes to injured reserve, he won’t be able to practice with the team. He would be more appropriate to be inactive until he is ready and can get live practice reps.
To read more, click here.
LB Nick Morrow (Core Muscle/Groin)
Morrow returns to practice on August 20 after originally suffering core muscle/groin strain during The Return of the Blue and Red. Even when he did return, he was still limited in participating with team drills.
One interesting nugget is that it’s been revealed that Morrow has been dealing with a groin injury off and on over the last 18 months as noted below.
I am concerned that he is working through a core muscle injury that will eventually require surgery. Whether he gets it now or after the season remains but this is something closely to watch. I don’t have a timeline for him to fully return until we get some more information.
Update: he had surgery in the offseason and has had a flare up which could require a revision.
S Terrell Burgess (Right Hamstring)
Burgess required attention from the training staff at the end of practice as he worked through a right leg injury. On August 22, it was revealed that he was dealing with a right hamstring strain.
Hopefully his absence is temporary as this was precautionary like several others. However, this latest injury at the safety position is not ideal as the season approaches.
CB Taron Johnson (Quad Soreness)
Johnson sat out practice on Thursday August 22 as a precaution as he dealt with quad soreness. Whether this was more of a minor strain or contusion, the team needs to take every ache and pain seriously so that things do not linger.
DE Javon Solomon (Right Calf)/DT Austin Johnson (Left Calf)
After being deemed limited on Monday, Solomon and Johnson returned to practice Tuesday indicating that their calf injuries are on the minor side.
They were able to practice all week without any setbacks.
Injury Settlement
WR Bryan Thompson (Right Hamstring)
Thompson was released Thursday with an injury settlement following a right hamstring strain suffered against the Chicago Bears. He is now free to sign with any team or with the Bills after a three week time frame past the terms of the injury settlement.
DL David Ugwoegbu (Hip)
Ugwoegbu was quietly released with an injury settlement shortly after going on injured reserve following a hip injury suffered during The Return of the Blue and Red on August 2.
Final Thoughts
This feels like it has been a rougher preseason than in past seasons. While more players have been out with injuries than other years, most have been smaller injuries. The only injuries prior to the final preseason game that will spend the season on IR are QB Shane Buechele (Neck) and WR Lawrence Keys (Foot).
The Bills have a lot of decisions to make not only from a player selection standpoint, but what to do medically with all the various injuries. We know some players are going to injured reserve while others will have to make the active roster before going to injured reserve.
After listening to Locked On Bills with Joe Marino, he discusses the IR rule wrinkles. The new IR rules allowing a team to place two players on IR before cut down day allows you to avoid cutting two players. However, if you do this, this automatically uses up two spots. So while someone like Matt Milano is a slam dunk to put on IR, do you really want to declare his spot in case he has a setback? Or do you put someone on who you know will return with a less severe injury? Do you put someone on who could be exposed to waivers and picked up or keep them around if they have an “injury”? There’s a lot of new strategy and wrinkles to consider when moving guys around. The Bills will move guys to injured reserve, but it will come down to when.
Be sure to keep following along for the latest injury updates and news as roster cut downs approach.
Top Photo Credit: Buffalo Rumblings
