Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills held a walkthrough practice on Thursday, which means that their second injury report of the week is an estimated report. It reflects how the players would have been classified had they conducted a full practice. The results? Mixed.
Here’s a look at how players are trending ahead of Week 2’s divisional game with the New York Jets.
Everyone above was listed as a full participant. That’s especially good news for running back James Cook who didn’t get much work in over the summer. He was seen coming out of the medical tent during the early part of last Sunday night’s game, but he was never listed as injured or taken off the field. If he can recuperate after just one extra day of rest, he’s in good shape to keep showing why he deserved that new contract he lobbied for this offseason.
Everyone from this group was listed as limited on Thursday. While that’s an uptick in categories for both Taron Johnson and Shaq Thompson, they aren’t quite in the clear yet. Having said that, if I had to make a call today, I believe only Dawson Knox and Tre’Davious White are at risk of missing playing time.
The Bills have mentioned being impressed with rookie Jackson Hawes’s abilities as a blocking tight end, and they have Dalton Kincaid. Knox is a luxury not a necessity, so I see him as on the bubble for Sunday.
With Christian Benford moving well and rookie Dorian Strong proving his ability to play with the first-string defense, White is my other guy on the bubble. Between his age and injury history, it’s best to remain cautious instead of rushing him back.
Okay, these two are listed here simply because they were not on the injury list for Wednesday. Ed Oliver’s injury seems very confusing to those around One Bills Drive but not directly involved in team operations. Oliver showed up on Thursday in a walking boot – one he was not wearing at his post-practice interview the day before. Oliver was seen wheeling around on a knee scooter but was also seen – without the scooter – playing multiple rounds of ping pong with teammates. The latest word on it sounds as if Oliver has an ankle injury. It will be interesting to hear what head coach Sean McDermott has to say in his morning press conference tomorrow.
As for the New York Jets, they had a similar report to the Bills today: plenty of guys progressing, a few holding steady, and then a couple of new – and concerning...
