Buffalo Bills' offensive tackle Spencer Brown has been placed on the active/physically unable to perform list with an undisclosed injury, just as the team is starting training camp. Brown can be activated off the list at any time, but he'll miss the start of camp.
Brown's absence gives rookie sixth-round pick Chase Lundt the opportunity to earn some extra practice time. After entering the league as an unheralded late-round prospect, Lundt has suddenly become a key player in Bills' training camp.
Spencer Brown injury means Chase Lundt has to step up in Bills' training camp
With very little information on Brown's injury, it's difficult to tell just what this means for Buffalo. Brown is a key piece of the Bills' offensive front and took a major step forward in 2024. He earned a PFF Pass Blocking Efficiency rating of 98, the highest mark of his career. If Brown misses extended time, it could shift the outlook of the 2025 season.
Without Brown in the lineup, either rookie Chase Lundt or career backup Ryan Van Denmark would likely step in as the starter. Van Denmark played in nine games for the Bills last season, starting in two.
The fight for the Bills' backup right tackle spot has suddenly become one of the most intriguing position battles in training camp.
While Lundt is new to the NFL game, he already has plenty of experience under his belt. He was a four-year starter at Connecticut, where he logged over 3,000 snaps. He's limited athletically, but he has enough physical strength to match up with NFL defensive ends. The Bills found great value when they took Lundt in the sixth round of April's draft, but they couldn't have anticipated that he would be competing for a starting job in training camp.
With these increased practice reps, Lundt will be tested in a way that he couldn't have anticipated heading into camp. He'll likely see first-team reps, lining up across from Greg Rousseau. It will be a difficult challenge for Lundt, but it gives him the opportunity to prove himself to this coaching staff.
Either he'll rise up to the challenge and solidify himself as the Bills' second-string right tackle, or he'll crack under the pressure and potentially lose his spot on the roster. Either way, this is a story that Bills' fans will want to pay close attention to in the coming weeks.