The Buffalo Bills filled out their offseason roster on Monday, signing WR Kristian Wilkerson to a one-year contract. The well-traveled wideout comes to Buffalo following stops in Tennessee, New England, Indianapolis, and Las Vegas. He has appeared in nine games over four seasons, seeing most of his playing time on offense with some occasional work on special teams.
Read about Kristian Wilkerson’s publicly reported injury history and analysis.
Injury History
College
2016 Southeast Missouri
No publicly reported injuries.
2017 Southeast Missouri
Ankle injury, vs Austin Peay, missed 1 game.
Wilkerson suffered an ankle injury against Austin Peay, forcing him to miss the following game against Jacksonville State.
2018 Southeast Missouri
No publicly reported injuries.
2019 Southeast Missouri
No publicly reported injuries.
NFL
2020 Tennessee Titans/New England Patriots
No publicly reported injuries.
2021 Patriots
No publicly reported injuries.
2022 Patriots
Concussion, preseason practice, placed on IR, missed entire season.
While participating in joint practices with the Carolina Panthers, Wilkerson was knocked out after a blindside hit from safety Kenny Robinson. He was carted off and missed the final two preseason games. He was placed on injured reserve before the roster cutdown and missed the entire season.
2023 Indianapolis Colts/Las Vegas Raiders
No publicly reported injuries.
2024 Raiders
No publicly reported injuries.
Buffalo Bills Injury Analysis
An ankle injury and a concussion are the only publicly reported injuries over the last nine seasons. His ankle injury is of no issue, sounding like a low ankle sprain, whereas the concussion is the more pressing issue.
He had only the one concussion due to the blindside hit, and while it was reported at the time that he was expected to miss some time, there were no reports that he had lingering symptoms. What likely happened was that he had a significant concussion, took several weeks to fully recover, and was not cleared at roster cutdowns.
The Patriots then elected to place him on injured reserve for the season, but did not give him an injury settlement. Whether this was due to Wilkerson’s desire to secure his pay for that season or if he was afraid that he would not find a new home, that part isn’t clear.
If he had several concussions or other issues following the injury, there would be a greater concern. Even if he had lingering symptoms that lasted weeks or even months, the important thing would have been to ensure that he gets fully healthy before returning. If he began having several concussions following the initial one, then maybe there are further risks for future episodes even several years removed.
Other issues including neck and shoulder pain could have led to him staying on IR all season. This is one injury that more information would be beneficial in understanding the reasoning. My bet is that he wasn’t cleared by roster cut downs, wasn’t sure if he could catch on elsewhere, and elected to stay with the team to improve his body and game to be ready for the following season.
One concussion three seasons ago isn’t all that much of a concern in the grand scheme of things. Since then, he has been able to stay healthy, though his playing time has been significantly limited due to his opportunities.
Final Thoughts
Wilkerson’s future with the Buffalo Bills will be more dictated by his play rather than injuries. I see nothing that is of concern for his health heading into the 2025 season.
I would like to wish Kristian Wilkerson a warm welcome to the city of Buffalo and to remain healthy this season.
Top Photo Credit: Las Vegas Raiders
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