Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills Injury Updates: Woods, McCoy, Hughes, Dareus & More

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Oct 23, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14) checks on the condition of Buffalo Bills strong safety Aaron Williams (23) during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Buffalo Bills have a lengthy injury report heading into Week 8. Here’s an update on every single one of them on the list.

The Buffalo Bills are one day away from playing their second game against the New England Patriots this season. It will be the final time the two meet in the regular season this year.

It’s a highly important game for both teams — the Bills looking to be the first divisional rival to sweep the Patriots in the Brady-era and the Patriots looking for redemption after a miserable 16-0 defeat to Buffalo in Week 4.

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Not to forget that we are also close to the midway point of the regular season, meaning teams need every win possible to make a playoff push. At this point, it seems the Patriots are a lock for the playoffs. However, the Bills are at 4-3 and chances are still good, but a loss tomorrow would make it much more difficult.

One of the biggest things holding the Buffalo Bills back right now is the amount of injuries they are dealing with. It was a problem when training camp started, continued through preseason and hasn’t taken a break since Week 1. Each week, we seem to lose another valuable piece to our offense or defense.

Heading into Sunday’s game vs. the Patriots, they have 13 players on their injury report. Although that doesn’t mean we will be minus 13 players on Sunday, it means that 13 players will either be sidelined or playing, but not 100%.

13 players.

That’s a fairly large number for one team and one week, but luckily I’m here to give you an update on each and every one of them and analyze whether we will see them or not — and if they’ll be 100% because that’s what really matters.

Here’s a full list of the players I will detail in this slide:

Corbin Bryant Charles Clay

Marcell Dareus Mike Gillislee

Cordy Glenn Marquise Goodwin

Seantrel Henderson Jerry Hughes

LeSean McCoy Lerentee McCray

John Miller Aaron Williams

Robert Woods

Let’s begin!

Oct 23, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills nose tackle Corbin Bryant (97) looks on from the sideline during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 28-25. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ DT Corbin Bryant (shoulder)

Corbin Bryant has been doing his best to fill the hole that was left when Marcell Dareus was suspended. He has played in every game for the Buffalo Bills and has tallied 11 total tackles.

With the exception of last week vs. the Dolphins and Week 2 vs. the Jets, our D-line has been doing a good job of stopping the run.

Nov 8, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Corbin Bryant (97) celebrates a safety during the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Bryant is listed as questionable for Sunday vs. the Patriots. To me, it looks like he will suit up for the Bills. Back in Week 6 vs. the 49ers, Bryant was questionable with an ankle injury. That week, he didn’t practice on Wednesday, but did in limited fashion on Thursday and Friday.

That was the same deal for him this week with the shoulder injury.

The key thing here is the return of Marcell Dareus, which means Corbin Bryant will have a lot of playing time taken away regardless.

Expect Bryant to suit up, but don’t expect to see him as much as we have this season if Dareus does return to action.

Oct 9, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Charles Clay (85) runs upfield after catching a pass in the 1st quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ TE Charles Clay (knee)

Charles Clay has found his name on the Bills’ injury report much of this season. He has received a lot of criticism this year for his performance. I’m not sure if it’s due to the injuries or due to the lack of a decent and consistent passing attack, but one thing’s for sure:

We need to get Charles Clay involved.

Clay is listed as questionable, but it looks like he will be playing vs. the Patriots on Sunday. With the lack of WR production, the Bills’ need anything they can get from Clay.

Nov 23, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Buffalo Bills tight end Charles Clay (85) goes over New England Patriots strong safety Patrick Chung (23) to make a catch during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

If the Bills can find a way to finally get Tyrod Taylor and Charles Clay to connect more in the game, it would really give this offense a boost — both in the red zone and on third-down conversions.

Expect Charles Clay to play and hope that the Bills can utilize him. It’s an important game for everyone.

Nov 9, 2014; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus (99) celebrates a sack against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Kansas City beats Buffalo 17 to 13. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ DT Marcell Dareus (hamstring)

As a Buffalo Bills’ fan, I’m disappointed that after 7 weeks I haven’t gotten a chance to see our top defensive tackle play.

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At first, he was suspended for the first four games of the season after violating the league’s substance abuse policy. When Week 5 cam around, we learned that he was now battling a hamstring injury — which has now kept him out for the past two weeks.

There’s no doubt we can use him right now. Our defensive line has been busting their tails off all season and could use their top guy to help ease the pressure. Kyle Williams and Corbin Bryant are constantly injured and most of it is due to being overworked.

The good news is, Marcell Dareus made a very clear statement a few days ago:

“I’m playing Sunday man. I can’t wait,” Dareus said following Wednesday’s practice. “I’m ready to enjoy myself. I’m just happy to get out there with the guys running around, feeling good. I’m ready to go pull it off man, make it happen.”

Well, it looks like we are finally going to see him in action on Sunday. Having him back should do wonders for this defensive front, not just by bringing in the top guy, but also by giving Williams and Bryant more time to rest during the game.

Although listed as questionable on Sunday, Dareus is going to play.

Welcome back.

Dec 27, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Mike Gillislee (35) celebrates his 50 yard touchdown run during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The Bills defeat Cowboys 16-6. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ RB Mike Gillislee (foot)

With how the Buffalo Bills handled LeSean McCoy’s hamstring injury last week, it doesn’t look good for one of the league’s top rushers. With that being said, it’s important that we have Mike Gillislee healthy to play.

However, just having him healthy isn’t all we need. Last week vs. the Dolphins, the coaching staff did a terrible job of getting Gillislee involved in the game and it came back to haunt them. Just because McCoy was out, doesn’t mean Gillislee all of a sudden is ineffective — it actually means he’s more effective than ever.

Dec 13, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Mike Gillislee (35) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Philadelphia defeated Buffalo 23-20. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

For Sunday’s game against the Patriots, the Bills don’t have a good shot at winning if they can’t run the ball. No matter who is handling the carries tomorrow, they will need to be productive and help keep our offense on the field — and our defense off.

Listed as a foot injury, Gillislee was limited in all three practices. Expect to see him suit up vs. New England and if the coaches can find a way to get him involved without McCoy — like they need to do with Clay — then Gillislee could be a difference maker in Week 8.

Aug 14, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills tackle Cordy Glenn (77) against the Carolina Panthers in a preseason NFL football game at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ T Cordy Glenn (ankle)

If you remember, Cordy Glenn was the player that suffered a high ankle sprain during training camp. He was seen wearing a boot most of preseason and didn’t return until the regular season was ready to kick off.

He ended up being good to go for Week 1, but unfortunately re-injured that ankle in the fourth-quarter against the Ravens. Ever since then, he’s been battling the injury and playing when he could.

If we had a more reliable and consistent tackle behind him to replace him, this wouldn’t be as big of an issue. With ankle injuries, you don’t want to aggravate it and you’re better off just letting them take the time to heal.

Oct 23, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills tackle Cyrus Kouandjio (71) looks on from the sideline during the second half agains the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins won 28-25. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, Jordan Mills and Cyrus Kouandjio haven’t been those type of players. Although they aren’t terrible, it’s definitely a huge blow for the team’s offensive line — which needs all the help it needs if we are without Glenn.

Glenn didn’t take a single snap in practices on Wednesday and Thursday, but practiced in a limited fashion on Friday. Listed as questionable, it’s still anyone’s guess whether he’ll be playing or not. His limited practice on Friday raises hopes, but like I said — ankle injuries are tough.

If he’s healthy, then we could definitely use him. If not, we will need Kouandjio and Mills to step up when needed.

Oct 9, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA;Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (88) celebrates his 4th quarter touchdown with teammate Robert Woods (10) at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ WR Marquise Goodwin (concussion)

Marquise Goodwin is one of two Buffalo Bills’ players officially ruled out for their Week 8 meeting with the Patriots. This doesn’t bode well for Buffalo, who have been hobbled with injuries to their wide receiving corps this whole season.

With Watkins already ruled out for a long time and Robert Woods’ ability not exactly certain for Week 8, losing our third wide receiver indefinitely is just a huge blow for Tyrod Taylor’s options out there.

Aug 20, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (88) during the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Goodwin had a good game vs. the Dolphins, showing that his speed can be valuable against pretty much every defense. He connected on a 67-yard TD from Tyrod Taylor and finished with 93 yards total.

The blow came in the fourth quarter, when his head hit the turf rather harshly while going up for a thrown pass by Taylor — which was a bit off. He is still under concussion protocol, wasn’t able to practice at all and is officially ruled out vs. the Patriots.

Hopefully one of few wide receivers can step up on Sunday.

December 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins (14) is congratulated by tackle Seantrel Henderson (66) for scoring a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders during the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Bills 26-24. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ T Seantrel Henderson (back)

Seantrel Henderson has been battling Crohn’s disease for quite some time now and has kept him off the field the whole time. It was a big setback for someone who was highly regarded by the coaching staff early in his career.

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Unfortunately, it was just the start of much more setbacks for the young tackle. Before the regular season started, Henderson was part of a controversial suspension similar to the one Dareus got. He was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the substance abuse policy.

When his suspension was over, the Bills warned everyone that he will most likely be out even longer. The team didn’t officially activate him to the 53-man roster until October 10th, making him eligible to play in Week 6. However, that would never happen as he was facing the back injury now.

With all this time that Henderson has missed, Jordan Mills has pretty much taken over the starting job at right tackle. With that being said, Henderson would most likely start as a backup. If he can get back in shape and prove that he hasn’t lost a step, there’s a good chance he would take that starting spot from Mills — who’s having a tough time this year.

Expect Henderson to play in Week 8 vs. the Patriots. The Bills will likely be monitoring his snaps and making sure he doesn’t aggravate anything, but if he shows that the talent is still there then this could be a very good thing for this offensive line.

Welcome back, Seantrel Henderson.

Oct 16, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes (55) tries to tackle San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) in the end zone during the second half at New Era Field. Buffalo beat San Francisco 45-16. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ LB Jerry Hughes (hand)

Jerry Hughes started the season off hot, giving quarterbacks limited time to make a decision in the pocket. However, he has quieted down these past few games.

After the first four games of the season, Hughes had combined for 16 tackles, 4 sacks and one pass defended. That’s when he started to slow down. He hasn’t recorded a sack since and his only big play was a forced fumble vs. the Rams in Week 5.

The Bills’ defense is held together by this man right here and without him, it takes a major blow. With Marcell Dareus returning, opposing offenses will be focusing some of the pressure on him. That could bode well for a pass-rusher that wants a sack every time the ball is snapped.

Not to mention, we have the NFL sacks leader on the opposite side of him — Lorenzo Alexander — that benefits from the attention given to Hughes.

A limited participant in three straight practices this week, it seems Hughes should have gotten enough rest for Week 8. Expect to see him out there rushing Tom Brady. Remember, the last game Hughes got a sack in was the shutout vs. the Patriots in Week 4.

Let it loose, Hughes.

Oct 23, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy (25) runs the ball against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. The Miami Dolphins defeat the Buffalo Bills 28-25. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ RB LeSean McCoy (hamstring)

LeSean McCoy has been tearing up the field this year and has earned his name as one of the league’s best rushers this season. Unfortunately, the Buffalo Bills might’ve gambled at the wrong time and after aggravating his hamstring vs. the Dolphins, his status for Sunday isn’t looking very good.

Now, the Bills are always full of surprises, but if we learned anything last week, we need to give him time to really heal. McCoy didn’t practice at all this week and is also listed as doubtful for the game — the only play with that status.

In 7 games this season — including last week’s bad performance — McCoy has gained 598 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns. He’s already climbing up on his total yardage last season and has already doubled his touchdown total.

He has also been a threat on the receiving end, with 20 receptions for 97 yards and one TD.

As we witnessed last week, life without McCoy is tough — let’s say different. However, we need to learn to adjust because we have a few running backs capable of sharing the workload — we just have to give them that workload.

Don’t expect to see McCoy out there, if the Bills are smart they will let him heal and let the nature of the game unfold — next man up.

Oct 23, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills linebacker Lerentee McCray (56) tackles Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ LB Lerentee McCray (knee)

Back when the Buffalo Bills traded for the Packers’ LB Lerentee McCray, Adam Schefter tweeted:

“A 2013 undrafted free agent, McCray played 24 games for the Broncos the last two seasons. He will help on special teams and serve as depth for the Bills’ banged-up linebacking corps.”

Going on the eighth week of the regular season, I’d say McCray is living up to that expectation fairly perfectly. In Week 5 vs. the Los Angeles Rams, McCray stopped Todd Gurley just one yard passed the line of scrimmage before forcing the running back to fumble it.

Sep 25, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) throws a pass under pressure by Buffalo Bills linebacker Lerentee McCray (56) as tackle Jared Veldheer (68) blocks during the second half at New Era Field. Bills beat the Cardinals 31-18. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

It was his only forced fumble on the season, but it came up big in a third-straight victory for Buffalo.

With Shaq Lawson back, Jerry Hughes expected to be fully ready and both the Browns performing well, McCray won’t have as big of a role as he did early on. With that being said, he should be good to go on Sunday after two straight limited practices.

Sep 1, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Buffalo Bills offensive guard John Miller (76) smiles after the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Lions win 31-0. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ G John Miller (shoulder)

John Miller is part of a Buffalo Bills’ offensive line that has allowed LeSean “Shady” McCoy to run all over just about every defense they’ve faced this year. They’ve even done a fairly good job of protecting Tyrod Taylor, with the main exception being last week vs. the Dolphins.

Miller is in his second year after being drafted in the 3rd round of the 2015 draft. He’s young and definitely has the will to learn and become a great offensive guard for the Bills. He has been known to ask his veteran leaders a lot of questions. Back in early July, the Buffalo News reported:

Miller struggled mightily as a rookie, so working closely with a two-time Pro Bowler is not a bad plan. “Asking him different things and asking him how he approached different things,” Miller said. “Everything is technical to me right now whether that’s footwork in the run game, head placement, all those different things help me improve my game.” The sophomore also “completely changed his diet” by cutting out red meat. If Miller can take a step forward, the Bills’ already potent rushing attack could find another level.

As for Sunday, John Miller is listed as questionable after three straight limited practices. I expect John Miller to be out there playing vs. the Patriots and making a difference while he’s at it.

If Cordy Glenn is inactive, expect to see a lot of Miller at right guard, Mills and Henderson and right tackle and Kouandjio at left tackle.

Oct 23, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills strong safety Aaron Williams (23) is helped off the field after being injured in the game against the Miami Dolphins during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ S Aaron Williams (neck)

Aaron Williams suffered a major neck injury in last Sunday’s meeting with the Miami Dolphins. The injury came off a careless block by Dolphins’ receiver, Jarvis Landry. Many people — including Rex Ryan — were quick to label it a ‘dirty hit’ and Landry was even fined nearly $25,000 for the block.

Aaron Williams has had troubles with neck injuries before. Last season, a neck injury caused him to miss pretty much the entire season. After the season was over, he evaluated whether or not he would continue to play football.

Ultimately, he decided he was comfortable enough to return to action this year. He immediately showed what kind of impact he had on this defense, making some huge plays early on. He has played in all 7 games this season and has tallied 20 tackles, including a fumble recovery for a TD on a botched field goal.

Oct 2, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; Buffalo Bills strong safety Aaron Williams (23) breaks up a pass intended for New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during the second half of the Buffalo Bills 16-0 win over the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Williams’ playmaking ability and pure talent will be missed on Sunday, as the safety is officially ruled out of Week 8. In fact, the safety has stated that he will not return this season and could possibly be done with football for good.

It was a brutal hit by Jarvis Landry that could end this young man’s career. We hope for nothing but the best for Aaron Williams in his recovery. Duke Williams will likely see extended time moving forward.

Oct 16, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; San Francisco 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock (26) breaks up a pass to Buffalo Bills wide receiver Robert Woods (10) during the second half at New Era Field. Buffalo beat San Francisco 45-16. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills’ WR Robert Woods (foot)

It looks like the Buffalo Bills just can’t seem to catch a break with their wide receivers. First, Sammy Watkins’ foot injury will cause him to miss most of this season — if not all of it. It created a major hole in our receiving corps and it showed each and every week.

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When Watkins went down, Robert Woods was called upon as our top target. He was given his chance to show what he could do as a team’s No. 1 receiver and turned out some good games. However, consistency is key and it’s just something we haven’t seen from Woods or anyone in the bills’ passing attack this year.

In the Bills’ Week 6 matchup with the 49ers, he hurt his foot and it caused him to miss last week’s meeting vs. the Miami Dolphins. Not only have we seen what this offense can do without their top target out there, but we’ve seen what it can do without their top two targets.

If Woods were to miss another game, the Bills would be left with just Justin Hunter, Brandon Tate and Walter Powell for wide receivers. That’s not a lot of options for Tyrod Taylor.

Listed as questionable for Week 8 vs. the Patriots, all signs are pointing to Woods’ playing this week. Expect to see him out there and if he can give this passing game a boost, then we can easily see it translate to a victory over the New England Patriots.

That’s all for the Bills’ injuries. Hopefully this helps clear everything up about what’s going on with all of them.

The game kicks off at 1:00 PM.

Go Bills!