Bills' Jordan Poyer: Won't return versus Jacksonville
Rotowire
Poyer (hamstring) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's wild-card game versus the Jaguars.
Poyer has been a stalwart during his lengthy time spent in Buffalo, and he tallied 70 tackles and three passes defended over 10 regular-season appearances in 2025. If the Bills advance, it will be worth monitoring Poyer's availability for what will be a tough road challenge vs. the Broncos or Patriots.
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Bills' Jordan Poyer: Exits with injury Sunday
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Poyer is questionable to return to Sunday's wild-card matchup versus the Jaguars with a hamstring injury.
Poyer recorded two tackles before exiting during the first half. The 34-year-old missed the final two games of the regular season with a hamstring issue, but he was not listed with an injury designation ahead of Sunday's wild-card game. With Poyer out for the time being, Cam Lewis and/or Sam Franklin will likely see increased playing time.
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Bills' Shaq Thompson: Good to go vs. Jacksonville
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Thompson (neck) is active for Sunday's AFC wild-card game against the Jaguars.
Thompson played through a neck injury in Week 17 before resting Week 18, and he has progressed enough in his recovery to be cleared to play in Sunday's playoff game. The veteran linebacker finished the regular season with 56 tackles (33 solo), including 1.0 sacks, two pass defenses and one forced fumble over 12 games.
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Bills' Shaq Thompson: Questionable, expected to play
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Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Friday that Thompson (neck) will be listed as questionable for Sunday's wild-card round matchup against the Jaguars but is expected to play, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
Thompson previously played through his neck injury in Week 17 before staying on the sideline in Week 18 to rest up for the playoffs. With middle linebacker Terrel Bernard (calf) already ruled out to face Jacksonville, the presence of starters Matt Milano and Thompson will be especially crucial for Buffalo's defense.
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Bills' Damar Hamlin: Won't return to face Jags
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Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Friday that Hamlin (pectoral) will not come off IR in time for Sunday's wild-card round matchup against Jacksonville, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
Hamlin had his 21-day practice window opened Wednesday and has since logged back-to-back limited sessions, but Buffalo will need to advance beyond the wild-card round of the AFC playoffs for the veteran safety to have a chance to retake the field. If Hamlin does return to action later in the postseason, he will stand to handle a depth role in the Bills' secondary.
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Bills' Terrel Bernard: Ruled out for wild-card round
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Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Friday that Bernard (calf) is ruled out for Sunday's wild-card round matchup against the Jaguars, Maddy Glab of the team's official site reports.
Bernard previously missed Week 18 due to his calf injury, and McDermott has yet to offer a clear estimate for the starting linebacker's recovery timeframe. For Sunday's playoff contest against Jacksonville, both Dorian Williams and Joe Andreessen will be candidates to see increased work on defense in Bernard's absence.
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Bills' Shaq Thompson: Limited in practice Wednesday
Rotowire
Thompson (neck) is listed as limited on Wednesday's estimated practice report.
Thompson was limited in advance of Buffalo's loss to the Eagles in Week 17 due to his neck injury, but he was cleared to suit up for that game without being assigned an official injury designation. The veteran linebacker was then among starters who rested Week 18. Barring any setbacks in practice Thursday and/or Friday, Thompson can be expected to gain clearance for Sunday's wild-card round matchup on the road against Jacksonville.
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Bills' Joey Bosa: Full participant Wednesday
Rotowire
Bosa (hamstring) was listed as a full participant on Wednesday's walkthrough practice report.
Bosa sat out the Bills' Week 18 win over the Jets with most of the other defensive starters. The fully rested veteran defensive end should be set to suit up for Sunday's playoff game against the Jaguars, barring any setbacks. Bosa had five sacks and five forced fumbles over 15 games this year and will likely have a huge impact on the Bills' defense in an elimination game.
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Bills' Jordan Poyer: Listed as limited Wednesday
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Poyer (hamstring) will be listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's practice report, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.
Poyer closed out the regular season with back-to-back absences due to a hamstring injury, but Buffalo will hope to have the starting safety back in action for Sunday's wild-card round matchup on the road against Jacksonville. Cam Lewis will figure to handle an expanded role on defense versus the Jaguars in the event that Poyer can't go.
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Bills' Matt Milano: Won't practice Wednesday
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Milano (illness) will not practice Wednesday, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.
Milano played in the Bills' last nine games consecutively before resting with most of the defensive starters in the team's Week 18 victory over the Jets. The linebacker appears to have acquired an illness, but it will likely not stop him from playing in Sunday's playoff game against the Jaguars. The 31-year-old will have two more opportunities to elevate his practice participation and prove he is over the illness in time for Sunday's contest.
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Bills' Terrel Bernard: Will not practice Wednesday
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Bernard (calf) will not participate in Wednesday's practice, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.
Bernard did not play in the Week 18 win over the Jets, but that is likely just because the Bills rested most of their starting players. The linebacker sustained his calf injury in the first half of the Week 17 loss to the Eagles and did not return to the contest. If the defensive captain wants to suit up for Sunday's playoff game against the Jaguars, he will have to increase his participation level in at least one of the remaining two practice sessions.
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Bills' Tre'Davious White: Records 10 defensed passes in 2025-26
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White finished the regular season with 40 tackles (29 solo) and 10 defensed passes, including an interception, over 16 games.
White missed Week 1 due to a groin injury but proceeded to start each of the Bills' subsequent 16 games. After a one-year hiatus split between Baltimore and the Rams, White had a solid return to Buffalo, pacing the team with 10 defensed passes -- his highest mark since 2020. White will continue to work as one of the Bills' starting cornerbacks in the postseason before becoming a free agent upon the conclusion of the campaign.
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Bills' Shaq Thompson: Modest first campaign in Buffalo
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Thompson tallied 56 tackles (33 solo), including 1.0 sacks, along with two defensed passes and a forced fumble over 12 regular-season contests in 2025-26.
Thompson missed four games due to injury and didn't play Week 18 against the Jets for rest purposes, but he still doubled the six contests he logged over the previous two seasons combined. The veteran linebacker had 10 tackles Week 6 against Atlanta and nine stops Week 13 versus Pittsburgh, but otherwise he finished with six or fewer tackles in his other 10 appearances. Thompson should remain a key part of Buffalo's defense in the postseason and will then become a free agent following the campaign.
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Bills' Christian Benford: Scores two defensive TDs in 2025
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Benford logged 43 tackles (32 solo), including 2.0 sacks, four pass defenses (one interception and a pick-six), one fumble recovery and a scoop-and-score across 14 regular-season games in 2025.
Benford got off to a nice start with at least four tackles in each of the first five games of the regular season, but he failed to record more than three stops in each of his last nine games. He scored the first touchdown of his four-year NFL career with a scoop-and-score against the Steelers in Week 13, and he followed that up with a 63-yard pick-six one week later in a win against the Bengals. Benford has posted two interceptions in each of the last three years, and he'll continue to operate as a key piece in the Bills' secondary after signing a four-year, $72 million contract extension with Buffalo in March.
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Bills' Greg Rousseau: Leads Buffalo with 7.0 sacks
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Rousseau finished the 2025-26 regular season with 46 tackles (24 solo), including 7.0 sacks, along with two defensed passes, a forced fumble and a blocked kick over 16 games.
Rousseau continued to be a steady presence along the Bills' defensive line, pacing the team with 7.0 sacks -- a mark he's reached in three of his past four campaigns. He didn't play in Week 18 as Buffalo elected to rest multiple starters, but Rousseau should be primed for the team's wild-card matchup against Jacksonville this Sunday after staying mostly healthy throughout the regular season.
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Bills' Cole Bishop: Makes big second-year leap
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Bishop recorded 85 tackles (53 solo) including 2.0 sacks, seven passes defensed and three interceptions in 17 regular-season games with Buffalo in 2025.
In his rookie season, Bishop played only a minor role behind starters Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin after being selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He took over as a starter himself this year, and he ended up leading the Bills in both total tackles and interceptions. His length, speed and explosiveness make him formidable in coverage, and it's clear he's also a willing tackler. With another year of experience under his belt, he should be part of the IDP discussion in 2026.
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Bills' Maxwell Hairston: Ruled out for wild-card round
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Hairston (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's AFC wild-card game against the Jaguars, Alec White of the Bills' official site reports.
Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Monday that Hairston is considered "week-to-week" due to an ankle injury he sustained during Sunday's 35-8 win over the Jets on Sunday. The rookie first-rounder won't be available for the Bills' wild-card game but could return for the divisional round should Buffalo beat Jacksonville this Sunday. Hairston started in three of 11 regular-season games in his rookie campaign and accumulated 18 tackles (14 solo) and five pass defenses (two interceptions).
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Bills' Jordan Phillips: Will suit up vs. Jets
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Phillips (ankle) is active for Sunday's game versus the Jets.
Phillips has missed Buffalo's last two games due to an ankle injury, but he's in shape to return to game action in Week 18. With veteran starter DaQuan Jones (calf) out, Phillips could be in line for additional work at defensive tackle Sunday.
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Bills' Joey Bosa: No go for Week 18
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Bosa (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday's contest against the Jets.
Bosa will be forced to sit out the regular-season finale as the team opts to give him some additional time to nurse his preexisting hamstring injury. In the 30-year-old's absence, A.J. Epenesa, Javon Solomon and Matthew Judon will all be candidates to see larger workloads on the defensive line versus New York.
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Bills' Deone Walker: Questionable with illness
Rotowire
Walker (illness) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's game against the Jets.
Walker was added to Saturday's injury report due to a sudden illness, and the defensive tackle's availability for Sunday's game is now in jeopardy. If the rookie cannot recover in time for the divisional clash, Jordan Phillips (ankle), Phidarian Mathis and T.J. Sanders will likely see increased reps on the defensive line alongside Larry Ogunjobi.
