Bills' Mark Anderson may return Sunday. He has been out since Week 5 with a knee injury. (US Presswire) |
Bills DE Mark Anderson may make his long-awaited return Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
Anderson has been out since tearing his lateral meniscus in his left knee in Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers. Anderson has since undergone two surgeries to correct the injury and returned to practice on Wednesday. After his second straight day of practice on Thursday, coach Chan Gailey said that Anderson is heading in the right direction and is looking good for this weekend.
“He was in more today, made more progress today,” Gailey said. “It’s encouraging to be ready for this week."
If Anderson is able to go, his reps will be limited given the length of his absence. DE Kyle Moore has done an admirable job of replacing Anderson at right defensive end (16 tackles, three sacks), so the Bills don’t have to rush Anderson back into the lineup.
The DE is encouraged that his long wait is about to come to an end.
“It’s been difficult, but it’s something that came up and I had to get done, had to get the surgery, had to go through a little adversity," he said. "But now I’m back on track and we’re trying to take it one day at a time."
Barnett looking good for Sunday: Veteran LB Nick Barnett (knee) missed his second day of practice in a row on Thursday, but the Bills expect him to be fine to play against the Seahawks. “We held him again today,” Gailey said. “It’s just not coming back as fast ... I don’t think anybody has any reservations about him playing Sunday, but he just didn’t get back as fast.”
Five defenders return: Five defenders returned to practice on Thursday -- CB Leodis McKelvin (groin), FS Jairus Byrd (shin), DT Kyle Williams (ankle), DT Marcell Dareus (shoulder) and DT Spencer Johnson (knee). All five were limited in their return but should be good for Sunday against Seattle.
Wood not ruled out for final two games: C Eric Wood (knee) still has a chance of returning for Buffalo’s final two games of the season. Wood partially torn his MCL in his left knee in Buffalo’s Week 13 win over Jacksonville. “Getting closer,” Gailey said of Wood. “They have not ruled him out for the last two games, but they haven’t told me it’s a definite that he will [return]. It’s somewhere in between those two. It’s one of those definite maybes.”
For more updates on the Bills, follow correspondent Mark Ludwiczak on Twitter @CBSBills and @MarkLud12.