Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills are 90 minutes away from kickoff against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which means that each team has officially declared its inactive list for the game. For the Bills, there was plenty of speculation around this particular list, and now we have confirmation that the smoke did, in fact, indicate a fire.
Buffalo had already declared two players out, and with two practice-squad elevations for the day, they still had to declare seven total inactive players. Here’s the full list.
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WR Keon Coleman
This is a doozy, as the second-year wideout is a healthy scratch just one week after offensive coordinator Joe Brady talked about the team failing him and needing to force-feed him targets. He apparently missed a meeting on Friday leading to the benching. That clearly didn’t work against Miami last week, so now we’ll see what the new-look Buffalo receiving corps can do. Gabe Davis is active after having been elevated from the practice squad, and Mecole Hardman was signed to the 53-man roster after spending a week on the practice squad himself. Davis will likely see some time in Coleman’s “X” role, while Hardman will likely handle kickoff and punt return duties.
WR Elijah Moore
The veteran is a healthy scratch this week, as the team chooses to go with the newcomers Hardman and Davis. Curtis Samuel is active, as is Khalil Shakir, who was questionable with a rib injury. Joshua Palmer, who had missed the last three games with knee and ankle injuries suffered against the Atlanta Falcons, is back. Tyrell Shavers is the sixth active wideout.
TE Dalton Kincaid
This one we knew, as Buffalo’s top receiver is out thanks to a hamstring injury he suffered last week. Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes will likely see plenty of time, as per usual. Rookie Keleki Latu was elevated from the practice squad, and he’ll slot in as the third tight end, which will allow Buffalo to use its “13” personnel grouping despite Kincaid’s absence.
OT Chase Lundt
Another week, another healthy scratch for the rookie offensive lineman.
DT Phidarian Mathis
The veteran is out with an injured shoulder this week. Rookie T.J. Sanders was activated from injured reserve, so he’ll add some reinforcement to the defensive tackle spot.
LB Shaq Thompson
Thompson was questionable thanks to a hamstring injury, but he had practiced in full. This is a bit surprising given how well he’s played this year, but Buffalo will roll with four linebackers—Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano, Joe Andreessen, and Dorian Williams.
CB Ja’Marcus Ingram
Both Taron Johnson and Cam Lewis are in, so the Bills had to pick a corner to sit. Ingram is the guy, as he’ll be a healthy scratch with Christian Benford, who missed last week due to a groin injury, is back and ready to roll.
Here are the inactive players for Tampa Bay:
