The Buffalo Bills are coming off a commanding 31-7 victory over the Denver Broncos in the Wild Card round. The impressive win showcased their well-rounded roster, highlighted by a strong defensive performance and a balanced offensive attack. Rookie running back Ray Davis has been a key piece of that offensive puzzle this season, offering consistency and toughness in the backfield.
Selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft (128th overall), Davis made an immediate impact in his first year. The 6’1”, 215-pound back finished the regular season with 442 rushing yards on 113 carries (3.9 YPC) and three touchdowns.
Ray Davis Injured in Wild Card Game Against Broncos
However, Davis’ availability for Sunday’s Divisional Round clash with the Baltimore Ravens is uncertain after he suffered a concussion in the Wild Card matchup.
Midway through the third quarter, Davis took a massive hit from Denver safety Brandon Jones, who was penalized for unnecessary roughness. Davis walked off the field under his own power but was escorted to the locker room by medical staff and did not return for the remainder of the game.
Davis takes a hard hit from Jones. He is currently down on the field and being evaluated. pic.twitter.com/yfoXZMkzK0
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) January 12, 2025
On Wednesday, Jan. 15, the Bills released their injury report, listing Davis as a limited participant in practice. According to team play-by-play announcer Chris Brown, Davis was performing football-related activities, which suggests he is at least in Step 3 of the NFL’s five-step concussion protocol. The league defines limited participation as a player who takes less than 100% of their normal repetitions during practice.
How Does a Player Clear the NFL’s Concussion Protocol?
As soon as a player is ruled out with a concussion, he enters into the NFL’s concussion protocol and cannot play until he passes each step. There is no set time to return to play or expected time to progress through each step of the protocol, as the recovery time for concussions varies from player to player.
Here are the five steps that the NFL and NFLPA agreed to for a player to return from a concussion:
Phase 1 (Symptom-Limited Activity)
The player is prescribed rest and told to limit or, if necessary, avoid activities (both physical and cognitive) that increase or aggravate symptoms. Under athletic training staff supervision, limited stretching and balance training can be introduced, progressing to light aerobic exercise, all as tolerated.
Phase 2 (Aerobic Exercise)
Under direct oversight of the team’s medical staff, the player should begin graduated cardiovascular exercise and may also engage in dynamic stretching and balance training. Neurocognitive and balance testing can be administered after completion of Phase 2, and the results should be interpreted as back to baseline.
Phase 3 (Football-Specific Exercise)
The player continues with supervised cardiovascular exercises that are increased and may mimic sport-specific activities, and supervised strength training is introduced. The player is allowed to practice with the team in sport-specific exercises for 30 minutes or less with ongoing and careful monitoring.
Phase 4 (Club-Based Non-Contact Training Drills)
The player continues cardiovascular, strength, and balance training, team-based sports-specific exercise, and participates in non-contact football activities (e.g. throwing, catching, running, and other position-specific activities). Neurocognitive and balance testing should be completed no later than the end of Phase Four with the results interpreted as back to baseline.
Phase 5 (Full Football Activity/Clearance)
Upon clearance by the team physician for full football activity involving contact, the player must be examined by the Independent Neurological Consultant (INC) assigned to his club. If the INC concurs with the team physician that the player’s concussion has been resolved, he may participate in his team’s next practice or game.
Who Can Buffalo Rely On If Davis Can’t Play?
Fortunately for the Bills, they still have leading rusher James Cook, who tied for the NFL lead in rushing touchdowns this season with 16 (alongside the Ravens’ Derrick Henry and the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs).
Ty Johnson, who posted 213 rushing yards on 41 carries (5.2 YPC) with one touchdown during the regular season, also provides depth in the backfield and is expected to see increased opportunities if Davis is unavailable.
Wednesday injury report pic.twitter.com/CgvAQRicQd
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) January 15, 2025
Buffalo’s injury report also listed offensive lineman Alec Anderson as the only other limited participant. The team’s ability to adapt and overcome adversity has been a hallmark of their success this season, and they’ll need that resilience against a Ravens team known for its physicality.