Following the nuptials of Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld over the weekend, the Buffalo Bills got back to work on Monday as they continued with voluntary OTA’s. On Tuesday, media was present which provided an opportunity to identify any injury updates and observations that could affect availability during mandatory minicamp or even training camp.
Below are the injuries, updates, and observations coming out of Tuesday’s practice.
Absent
CB Cam Lewis (Undisclosed)
Lewis was not present during Tuesday’s open media session. According to reports, he was present last week but I did not observe him in any pictures. It’s unclear whether this was a personal matter or if this is an undisclosed injury.
RB James Cook
Cook continued to stay away as he angles for a contract extension, training on his own. The expectation is that he will be present for mandatory minicamp.
QB Josh Allen (Honeymoon)
Congratulations to the MVP!
Not Practicing
DE Joey Bosa (Calf)
Bosa has been shut down for the spring after suffering a calf strain working out during Phase 2 OTA’s on May 22. He has been present at practices but does not have any visible tape or bracing on either leg to suggest which calf he injured.
We will see him on the sidelines for another week before training camp and hopefully he will be fully healthy to pass his physical.
OT Spencer Brown (Undisclosed)
Brown missed Tuesday’s practice with an undisclosed issue but was walking around on the sidelines. He didn’t have any visible compression sleeves or braces either. This is an issue we need more information on as he has had a variety of injuries over the years including his torn labrum last year and back surgery in 2023. He has been practicing prior to this and the 2024 injuries also didn’t suggest that any surgeries were on the docket.
LB Baylon Spector (Undisclosed)
Spector is once again off on the sidelines as he is dealing with what is likely another injury. He has dealt with hamstring, calf, groin, and back injuries among other issues. He was limited last year during OTA’s and minicamp due to a right leg issue and missed extensive time in 2024 due to bilateral calf injuries.
He better find a way to get his body right for training camp or he might find himself as a roster cut.
S Damar Hamlin (Right Foot/Ankle)
Hamlin was observed off to the side with a short boot on his right foot on Tuesday according to Nick Sabato of the Niagara Gazette.
The presence of a boot tells us they’re trying to protect either the ankle or foot for stability and swelling management. To guess the exact injury is nearly impossible without additional information. We may get more information next week, but I don’t anticipate Hamlin participating in minicamp out of an abundance of caution.
He did deal with an ankle injury last year appearing on the injury report in Week 8 and 9, but it’s not clear which ankle it was and he did not miss any time.
New Injuries
WR Joshua Palmer (Lower Body)
Palmer came up lame going through individual drills early during the media viewing session, briefly leaving for further assessment. Fortunately, he was able to return with his helmet.
There hasn’t been any specific details that came out about the specific injury other than he was flexing his lower leg. Based on the video, this was potentially a left hamstring or calf. This will require more information as to whether this will affect his availability for mandatory minicamp next week.
Observations
DT DeWayne Carter (Right Wrist)
Carter is wearing a brace on his right wrist from when he had a ligament repaired after injuring it in Week 7. He was not wearing it last week from what I saw indicating that he may be dealing with some soreness.
TE Dalton Kincaid (Left Knee)/TE Dawson Knox (Left Knee)
Both continue to work through their respective issues, Kincaid with the PCL and Knox potentially with patellar tendinitis or IT band irritation. This has not changed from last week.
DE Hayden Harris (Right Leg)
Harris is sporting a full compression sleeve due to an undisclosed issue.
OL Sedrick Van Pran Granger (Right Leg)
CB Dorian Strong (Right Wrist)
SVPG has the sleeve with possible tape on his groin while Strong has his right wrist taped up. Neither have had any known injury issues to that area other than Strong breaking a bone in that area in 2022.
Injury Updates
CB Taron Johnson (Left Shoulder Labrum Repair)
Johnson revealed that he underwent a surgical repair of his labrum in his left shoulder following the season. This was reported by Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News.
This is unfortunately an injury that Johnson has dealt with before, suffering the same injury during his rookie year in 2018. Fortunately, Johnson is familiar with the rehab and the team has had much success in returning players. Several recent examples include Spencer Brown, Jordan Phillips, Zay Jones, and Shaq Lawson. To better understand the injury, continue reading below.
Shoulder Anatomy
The labrum is a fibrous layer of tissue in the shoulder that deepens the socket in which the head of the humerus articulates with the glenoid fossa of the scapula. This allows for stabilization to the shoulder joint and prevents the joint from separating during movement. Other structures including ligaments, muscles such as the rotator cuff, and connective tissue allow for additional support. Finally, the long head of the biceps tendon feeds into the glenoid and serves as an attachment for the biceps to contract. All these structures together help make up the shoulder joint and maintain stability through motion.
Mechanism of Injury
The labrum can be injured by a variety of mechanisms due to the makeup of the shoulder. As with all joints, with increased mobility, there is decreased stability. A shoulder can dislocate via a direct blow to the front of the shoulder or fall on an outstretched hand, also known as FOOSH, which can cause a posterior dislocation. In cases of anterior dislocation, an extreme distraction to the area such as sudden pulling or placing the shoulder in extreme end ranges in external rotation and abduction are possible mechanisms.
This was a high possibility due to how he was injured against the Baltimore Ravens noted below.
Surgery
Surgery is indicated when there is enough of a tear in the labrum that creates instability that conservative measures or bracing will not address. Anchors and sutures are placed to reattach the cartilage to the glenoid.
Timelines for recovery are anywhere from four to six months though can be longer if damage is more complex. Considering they have exit physicals after the season suggests he had surgery sometime in late January or early February.
According to research, timelines for return to play are roughly nine months with between 80 to 90 percent return to play.
There does not appear to be any decline in a return to performance, but there is anywhere from a 13 to 26 percent chance of re-tearing the labrum following repair. There is also a 58 percent chance of future instability within the shoulder in the future, but I’m less concerned about Johnson re-tearing due to his positional demands compared to that of a trench player who is engaging their arms in blocking every play.
The biggest issue is missed time should he suffer a new injury and future arthritis. Recurrent instability is in the mid-20 percent, but far less (50 percent) than if he didn’t have surgery. This is also an injury he could play through with bracing if it does occur again.
Given the timeline from surgery to training camp, there is a small chance that he may start on PUP, especially if he has a setback. However, I do expect him to be available most of training camp and wear a harness as he ramps up. Spencer Brown was able to avoid PUP last year whereas Jordan Phillips started on PUP in 2023 due to his extensive damage in his rotator cuff along with his labrum.
Final Thoughts
As expected, there are several more injuries but nothing overly concerning. We also got several updates and observations that may indicate who will be available next week.
There will continue to be more updates and observations next week as media availability increases which means more clues will be available along with team updates.
Top Photo Credit: Greg M Cooper/AP
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Thx for the updates!