Deep breaths, everyone; Buffalo Bills football is back for Week 8 after perhaps the longest bye week in recent memory. The opponent? The Carolina Panthers, thankfully, and they're short-handed. Buffalo took a licking in Week 6 and 7, and needed to tend to their wounds- It was a necessary break.
Now, they're back at work, and the bye week should have done them some good. Unfortunately, there's a lot to discuss following the week off, and the final injury report is here, so let's get down to it.
Bills' Week 6 injury report vs. Falcons per the Bills' PR X account
OT Dion Dawkins - Thumb
Dion Dawkins missed no time with his thumb injury and is off the injury report this week. No need to worry about him.
TE Dalton Kincaid - Oblique
Dalton Kincaid missed Week 6 with his oblique injury, though he wasn't ruled out until late. The offense was dysfunctional without him, but his absence is unlikely to blame. Still, he's limited in practice all week.
We would expect, since he was close to playing in Week 6, that Dalton Kincaid plays this weekend. It's a reasonable assumption, but not one that's confirmed just yet. He's listed as questionable against the Carolina Panthers.
S Taylor Rapp - Knee
Taylor Rapp played though a nose injury, heroically, in Week 6, but has suffered a knee injury since and isn't practicing. It's reportedly related to an injury that he suffered during training camp in the offseason. It's a significant one, with Rapp reportedly heading to injured reserve.
Losing Rapp now, instead of before the Bye Week, is a blow. Fortunately, there are plenty of free agent safeties the Buffalo Bills can sign, and lots of options to trade for ahead of the trade deadline.
WR Curtis Samuel - Neck/Ribs
Curtis Samuel was inactive against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6, having suffered a neck and rib injury. Now it's just a rib injury, following the week off. Samuel was limited to start the week of practice, but ramped up to full participation and is healthy for Sunday. If he's inactive again, it will be as a healthy scratch.
DT TJ Sanders - Knee
TJ Sanders is officially in the third week of his stint on the injured reserve. There have been no updates on him as of yet; More information should be available next week.
CB Dorian Strong - Neck
Dorian Strong has no update yet, now in the final week of his mandatory four-week absence on the injured reserve. When and if Sean McDermott decides to open his return to practice window is currently a mystery.
DT Ed Oliver - Ankle
Ed Oliver seems to be past the ankle injury that plagued him to start the season. He is off the injury report this week and is fully prepared for gameday.
LB Matt Milano - Pectoral
Following yet more missed time for Matt Milano, the bye week may have seemed a blessing. His pectoral injury has hampered him all season, and he continues to struggle to stay on the field. He's questionable this week, having been limited in practice all week following the bye. Truly a 50/50 call to see if he plays this Sunday.
WR Joshua Palmer - Knee/Ankle
Buffalo lost Josh Palmer against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6 to an injury that seemed potentially season-ending. Instead, he didn't hit the injured reserve before the Bye Week and remains on the active roster now. McDermott officially said he's "Week-to-week". He hasn't participated in practice since before his injury but seems to be trending up. Palmer is out for Week 8, but will likely return within the next two weeks.
LB Terrel Bernard - Ankle
Terrel Bernard cropped up on the injury report this week, dealing with an ankle issue. It happened during the game against the Falcons in Week 6, and is still an issue two weeks removed.
Bernard is officially limited in every practice this week, and questionable for gameday. He's one of the most important players in McDermott's defense; Losing him would be a substantial blow.
CB Maxwell Hairston - Knee
Maxwell Hairston has his 21-day return to practice window opened by the team this week. It's the first time he's been in practice since prior to the pre-season, as he rehabbed his unfortunate knee injury. It could have cost him his rookie season, but it seems the Bills' 2025 1st-round pick will play this year after all. He was limited in practice all week.
Expect Hairston to ramp up slowly, as he has barely had any time on the field with his teammates. Though Sean McDermott told media that Hairston would be questionable to play this week, it seems like gamesmanship. There is no reason to expect him to play this week, regardless of his health status.
DT DaQuan Jones - Calf
DaQuan Jones will be missing another game, and the entire week of practice, with his calf injury. He's already been declared out, alongside Taylor Rapp and Joshua Palmer. It's a problem, with TJ Sanders on the injured reserve as well, but the Bills get some reinforcements this week that could help.
Injury Summary
With both Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp on the injured reserve, the Buffalo Bills are awfully thin at safety. The team has options via trade or free agency, and Brandon Beane has a history of making aggressive in-season moves. For now, however, the starters seem to be Cole Bishop and Sam Franklin Jr, with Jordan Poyer available off the practice squad.
Losing DaQuan Jones again is an issue, but DT Larry Ogunjobi has served his suspension and can step up on the defensive line. DE Michael Hoecht also returns from suspension and has DT experience, to help mitigate things. All in all, this isn't a massive problem for Buffalo.
The loss of Josh Palmer is a shame, as he helped stretch the field better than most players on offense. Still, there are similarly built players who can fill the role in the mean time. Keon Coleman can get deep and win contested catches, and Tyrell Shavers is the downfield blocking presence Buffalo relies on.
With Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard both questionable, a practice squad callup for either Keonta Jenkins or Jimmy Ciarlo seems unexpected.