Buffalo Bills: Mitch Morse clears concussion protocol

OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 16: Mitch Morse #61 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after a play against the Oakland Raiders during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 16, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - OCTOBER 16: Mitch Morse #61 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after a play against the Oakland Raiders during their NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on October 16, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

The Buffalo Bills got some good news about their starting center as general manager Brandon Beane confirmed Mitch Morse is out of concussion protocol.

The Buffalo Bills completed their preseason with a win over the Minnesota Vikings and general manager Brandon Beane had even more good news for fans in regards to the team’s starting center. During the game broadcast, Beane confirmed that Mitch Morse has cleared concussion protocol.

As Matthew Fairburn notes, Morse has been in the concussion protocol since the third practice of training camp, which was the first in pads. Morse, entering his fifth year in the league, has had to deal with a number of concussions and the one suffered in training camp was the fourth documented concussion since entering the NFL.

The absence of Morse has certainly presented their challenges for this offense and the coaching staff. The Bills almost completely overhauled their offensive line and are expected to only have one starter return from last year, left tackle Dion Dawkins. The Bills wanted Mitch Morse to play a pivotal role in the improvement of this line and made him the highest paid center in the NFL this offseason.

The center position is vital to an offensive line as it is his responsibility to call out assignments and make sure offensive linemen are picking up the right player. In addition to this, the absence of Morse could present a bit of a challenge for Josh Allen. The missed opportunity to work on the snap exchange could potentially be an issue as well, even though Josh Allen has said he is not worried about that.

While there are concerns, this is certainly a great sign and the return of Mitch Morse will be a boost for everyone on the offensive side of the ball. The Buffalo Bills will now have about 10 days to get everyone on the same page ahead of their regular season opener against the New York Jets.

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