The Buffalo Bills made their first move of free agency signing WR Josh Palmer to a 3-year, $36 million contract on Monday.
Palmer comes to Buffalo after four years in Los Angeles where he was the 77th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. He amassed 182 receptions for 2287 yards and 10 touchdowns during his time with the Chargers. He has always been seen as a depth option during his time out west and comes to the Bills during a time in transition within the wide receiver room.
Palmer also brings with him several injuries of note that could affect his availability during his next few seasons. Read further for a full injury history Josh Palmer and and analysis.
Injury History
NFL
2021 Los Angeles Chargers
No publicly reported injuries.
2022 Chargers
Concussion, preseason vs Cowboys, missed 1 game.
Palmer suffered a concussion against the Dallas Cowboys in the preseason. He was at one point cleared from the concussion protocol but did not play in the preseason finale.
Ankle injury, Week 4, missed 0 games.
Palmer was questionable heading into Week 5 against Cleveland with an ankle injury suffered the prior week.
Concussion, Week 6, missed 1 game.
Palmer suffered a hit during the Week 6 Monday Night game against the Denver Broncos. He was not initially on the injury report until he had a delayed onset of symptoms during practice two days later. He was placed in concussion protocol and missed the following game against the Seattle Seahawks.
2023 Chargers
Undisclosed injury, OTA’s.
Palmer sat out of OTA’s in late May for an undisclosed issue.
Groin injury, Week 6, missed 0 games.
Palmer was a late addition to the injury report with a groin injury prior to the Week 6 contest against the Dallas Cowboys. Despite being questionable , he suited up and played his normal workload.
Right Knee injury, Week 7, missed 0 games.
Palmer suffered a knee injury in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs and played in 98 percent of snaps.
Right Knee injury, Week 8, placed on IR, missed 6 games.
After being ruled questionable heading into Week 8 with a knee injury, Palmer aggravated the knee issue further when he caught a pass and was tackled from behind. By video, it’s possible he suffered an MCL sprain when he was hit from behind and the knee was extended and hit from the outside. Following the game, he was placed on injured reserve, missing the next six games.
Concussion, Week 16, missed 1 game.
Palmer suffered another concussion, this time against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16. He missed the following week.
2024 Chargers
Right Knee injury, preseason.
Palmer once again tweaked his knee in preseason practice when going up for a contested catch. He required assistance from training staff but was doing individual drills the next day.
Knee injury, Week 1, missed 0 games.
Palmer was once again on the injury report due to a knee injury suffered in Week 1. It’s not clear whether this was the same knee from training camp. He was questionable but only played in 43 percent of snaps.
Elbow/Calf injuries, Week 2, missed 1 game.
After playing through his knee injury, he picked up elbow and knee injuries, forcing him to miss the Week 3 game.
Foot/Heel injury, Week 17, missed 2 games.
Palmer picked up a foot/heel injury against the New England Patriots in Week 17. This forced him out of the regular season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders and Wild Card game against the Houston Texans. At one point, he was observed in a walking boot though it did not state which side it was.
Buffalo Bills Injury Analysis
Palmer has had a bunch of injuries that have nicked him up throughout his four-year career. He has missed 11 total games with six of those coming at the expense of his 2023 knee injury.
Looking at the injuries as a whole, most of the injuries are rather isolated and did not cause him extended time. The only ones that are of any concern is the right knee injury in 2023 and the three concussions throughout his career. His knee injury appeared to be an high-grade MCL sprain and while that was problematic at the time, this type of knee sprain typically heals well and does not have any lasting concerns.
It’s not clear if the late 2023 knee injury contributed to the early 2024 issues, but the injury did not appear to linger last season. There is also no indication that he required surgery. I would not anticipate the Bills finding anything notable during a physical regarding his knee.
Finally, his three concussions are something to monitor. The prior head injuries should not have prevented him from signing but two in one season and then another the following season does indicate he’s at a higher risk to suffer another one in the future. A concussion history does not preclude the Bills from signing him with the best example being newly retired Mitch Morse.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Palmer has had several different injuries but nothing appears to be a lingering concern other than noting the concussions. It’s highly likely he suffers some type of new injury but nothing appears to be chronic nor something that could be a problem moving forward.
Palmer has the chance to come into Buffalo with less competition than he had in Los Angeles but a strong chance to step his game up to the next level.
I hope Josh Palmer is able to stay healthy and wish him the best of luck during his time in Buffalo.
Top Photo Credit: Getty Images
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