Buffalo Bills’ Biggest Injury Questions as Training Camp Begins

The Buffalo Bills‘ first official training camp practice took place on Wednesday, but the club got ahead of things by placing several players on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list on Tuesday. Buffalo has several key injury situations worth watching as they prepare to take another shot at a Super Bowl.

Buffalo Bills Injury Update

EDGE Von Miller

Von Miller’s addition to the PUP list came as no surprise, as the 34-year-old is still recovering from the torn ACL he suffered on Thanksgiving. On Wednesday, he was spotted working on the sideline during training camp while wearing a brace on his right knee.

Miller previously addressed his injury timeline during the Bills’ OTAs in May.

“The most important thing for me is just to be available when my team really needs me,” Miller said. “If that’s Week 1, then I’ll be happy for that. If that’s Week 6, I’ll be happy for that. But I guarantee it won’t be any later than that. Whatever it takes for me to get to that point, that’s what I’ll do.”

Miller reiterated that line of thinking this week, suggesting that his “hope” is that he’ll be ready for the start of the season. If Miller is still on the PUP list by the time Week 1 arrives, he’d be required to miss at least four games.

If Miller is sidelined to begin the year, free agent addition Leonard Floyd would likely handle most of his snaps opposite Greg Rousseau. Boogie Basham, A.J. Epenesa, and Shaq Lawson would also become candidates to see more playing time.

DT Jordan Phillips

After spending the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Bills, Jordan Phillips had a two-year layover with the Cardinals before returning to Buffalo in 2022. He appeared in 12 games during the regular season but suffered a torn rotator cuff against the Patriots in December.

Phillips missed the next two games before returning and playing through the injury down the stretch. However, he was given a reduced role on defense and didn’t suit up for the Bills’ Wild Card bout against the Dolphins.

Phillips then underwent surgery over the offseason and is still working his way back from the procedure. He’s also on the PUP list but can be removed at any time.

Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones are locked in as Buffalo’s top two defensive tackles, while Tim Settle and free agent addition Poona Ford could help pick up the slack if Phillips misses regular-season action.

LB Tyler Matakevich

The third player the Bills placed on PUP on Tuesday, Tyler Matakevich, is Buffalo’s special teams ace. No Bills player saw as many ST snaps as Matakevich (323) last season.

Because of his role as a specialist, Matakevich — who is dealing with a calf injury — is considered a near-lock to make Buffalo’s roster. However, the Bills do have something of a logjam at linebacker, even after losing Tremaine Edmunds to free agency.

Terrell Bernard is the favorite to replace Edmunds alongside fellow starter Matt Milano, but Tyrel Dodson and even rookie third-rounder Dorian Williams might have something to say about that. With Baylon Spector also likely to make the team, the Bills could save a roster spot by keeping Matakevich on PUP to start the year.

RB Nyheim Hines

Nyheim Hines’ season is, unfortunately, already over. He suffered a serious knee injury while on a stationary jet ski earlier this week and won’t be able to suit up in 2023. The Bills placed Hines on the non-football injury (NFI) list, which has already started to cause problems.

Teams can pay players on NFI at their discretion. Hines’ agent suggested on Twitter that the Bills are seeking to recoup money from Hines, and Pro Football Talk confirmed that is the case.

Hines’ two-year, $9 million deal with Buffalo contains a $1 million signing bonus, a $2.56 million salary, a $100,000 workout bonus, and $340,000 in per-game roster bonuses. Per PFT, Buffalo does not intend to pay Hines’ $2.56 million salary.

Hines has already been paid $600,000 of his signing bonus, but the Bills want to withhold the other $400,000 (which has not yet been paid). They also want to deny Hines the $100,000 workout bonus he earned earlier this summer.

If Hines accepts, he will earn just half of his $1 million roster bonus. However, PFT reports that the Bills are also willing to pay Hines $289,000 this season, equal to the highest allowable practice squad salary.