Buffalo Rumblings
Matt Milano is listed with a hamstring injury, while Taylor Rapp’s is officially noted as a hip and back.
Before Wednesday’s practice, Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott listed three players who would not be full participants in the day’s practice: safety Taylor Rapp, cornerback Christian Benford, and linebacker Matt Milano.
Christian Benford is in concussion protocol due to a hit to the head he took on an onside kick attempt by the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday’s divisional round. The good news for Buffalo is that Benford was a limited participant in the Bills’ first official practice of the week.
This is similar to where running back Ray Davis found himself last week, so if Benford continues to pass each step of the NFL’s concussion protocol, he could be ready by Sunday’s showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC Championship title.
Matt Milano was another limited participant in Wednesday’s walk-through practice. McDermott said that Milano’s dealing with “hamstring soreness.” As long as it’s only soreness and not a pull, the Bills are probably just taking things easy and letting the 30-year-old linebacker work through the pains of playing at a high level.
Taylor Rapp was the non-participant McDermott listed before practice. Rapp left Sunday’s game with a hip injury after colliding with fellow safety Damar Hamlin.
Whether damage was done as Rapp fell awkwardly or it’s just some pain and bruising is yet to be determined. However, on the first look at this week’s official injury report, the safety is listed as dealing with a back/hip injury — indicating that maybe it’s more soreness than any actual structural damage.
McDermott still lists Rapp as day-to-day, adding to the very real possibility that the safety could be ready by Sunday.
Other players on the injury report who weren’t there last week include left tackle Dion Dawkins who was out with an illness and center Connor McGovern who was a full participant but is being treated for a shoulder injury.
Additionally, nickel cornerback Taron Johnson added a shoulder injury to his previous neck injury. Johnson picked up the neck injury in the divisional round and the shoulder injury in the divisional round of the AFC Playoffs.
Both times, Johnson missed just one play after what looked to be a game-ending injury. Johnson was a full participant in last week’s practices, and he was again on Wednesday as well.
