Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott provided updates on the team’s injury situation as they enter their bye week with a 4-2 record. Two players, defensive tackle DaQuan Jones and wide receiver Joshua Palmer, are listed as “week-to-week” due to injuries sustained during Monday’s game against Atlanta.
Jones suffered a calf injury during pregame warm-ups and did not play in the game. McDermott said after the game that Jones “popped his calf” in warm-ups. On Tuesday, he confirmed that Jones will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis moving forward.
Palmer injured his ankle in the first half of the game after making two receptions for 60 yards. He was ruled out at the start of the third quarter following an awkward landing after his second catch.
Four other players are considered “day-to-day.” Linebacker Terrel Bernard left the Atlanta game with an ankle injury but remained on the sideline in uniform. Cornerback Christian Benford briefly exited with an Achilles issue but returned to play later in the game. Linebacker Matt Milano (pectoral), tight end Dalton Kincaid (oblique), and wide receiver Curtis Samuel (neck/ribs) are also day-to-day and reportedly improving. Kincaid participated on a limited basis during practice last week.
Additionally, defensive end Michael Hoecht and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi will rejoin the active roster for Week 7 after completing six-game suspensions. The Bills currently have 50 of 53 active roster spots filled; once Hoecht and Ogunjobi return, one spot will remain open.
“It’ll be good to get these two guys back in the mix, with the injuries that we have in particular,” McDermott said. “We’ll see how it all unfolds, right? Who’s available, who’s not. We won’t really know until we get back going a little bit next week… but it certainly will help in terms of numbers and guys who have played.”
McDermott also addressed rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston’s recovery from a knee injury that has kept him on injured reserve since before the season began. There is optimism about opening Hairston’s practice window soon.
“He continues to head in the right direction, and there’s a chance that we’ll open up his practice window in the coming week,” McDermott said.
Although Hairston’s return to practice could happen after the bye week, no specific timeline was given for when he might be activated for games.
“Let’s just go out there and take it one day at a time and when we do open up the window and it’s not going to be perfect, and he’s got to understand that, and we have to understand that,” McDermott said.
“I think the biggest thing, honestly, for Max is managing expectations when you miss all that time in training camp, mentally, physically — the playbook, and then the physical part and the ramp up of training camp and preseason games, and then the start of the season. So just trying to be realistic with it, manage expectations,” McDermott added.
