Bills' offensive tackle depth thinned further with Tommy Doyle sustaining season-ending injury

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills backup offensive tackle Tommy Doyle sustained what coach Sean McDermott on Sunday described as a season-ending injury, further depleting the team’s thin depth at the position.

McDermott wouldn’t specify the nature of the injury, a day after Doyle was hurt early in the third quarter of a 27-15 preseason loss at Pittsburgh. The third-year player was carted off the field with his left leg in a protective brace.

Doyle has appeared in 12 games over his first two seasons. His injury leaves the Bills with David Quessenberry as the only backup tackle on the roster with NFL experience behind starters Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown.

The Bills' depth at the position took a hit earlier last week after seventh-year player Brandon Shell was placed on the reserve-retired list.

“We remain confident in the guys that we have. That said, there’s certainly a numbers issue. Let’s start there,” McDermott said. “So we’ve got more practices ahead. And it’s an area that we’ve got to continue to look at it and analyze.”

The Bills close their preseason schedule at Chicago on Saturday, and are three weeks away from opening their season at the New York Jets on Sept. 11. One opportunity to add an experienced tackle will come on Aug. 29, when all NFL teams make their final cuts to establish their 53-player rosters.

In other injury updates, McDermott listed backup quarterback Matt Barkley as being day to day after he hurt his right throwing elbow against the Steelers. Backup defensive end Shane Ray is listed as day to day after hurting his hamstring.

Tight end Dawson Knox was expected to return to practice after missing the game with an injury to his pinky finger.

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