Bills injury list grows to 15 with receivers Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer out
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott put aside his concerns over the team’s growing injury list, which now includes starting receiver Khalil Shakir, by saying he has no choice but to move forward in returning to training camp on Sunday.
McDermott followed the Bills day off by opening his pre-practice news conference listing 15 members of Buffalo’s 91-player roster as either being limited or not practicing.
Shakir was among the latest additions and listed week to week with a high ankle sprain after he was hurt during the Bills annual open practice at their home stadium on Friday.
Also injured Friday were receiver Josh Palmer (groin), one of the team’s prized offseason free agent additions, and linebacker Shaq Thompson (groin).
The injuries have particularly hit Buffalo's receivers, with Curtis Samuel (hamstring) and backup Kaden Prather also sidelined. That leaves Keon Coleman as the only projected starter still healthy with Buffalo preparing to open the preseason by hosting the New York Giants on Saturday.
“What we’ve tried to do is pull back on some things in hopes of getting some numbers back. And that hasn’t helped,” McDermott added, in reference to cutting back on the number and length of padded practices. “We’re moving forward. It’s time for us to go and we got to get some work done and move this team forward.”
The most serious injury has been to rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston, who is out indefinitely after spraining a ligament in his right knee last week. Hairston is watching practice on crutches with no definitive timetable for his return.
“It’s going to take some time. He’s week to week,” McDermott said of the first-round draft pick who was competing for a starting job opposite Christian Benford.
"Here’s a young player that is not only missing just the moving around, but also the mental part of the experience you get with through the reps,” he added. “So there’s no way to avoid it, he’s going to be behind when he comes back.”
Injuries have been an issue for the five-time defending AFC East champions since opening training camp with four players on injured lists, including tight end Dawson Knox (calf) and right tackle Spencer Brown (back). Of those four, backup center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (calf) remains sidelined with McDermott hoping the player will be available to return in time for Buffalo’s preseason finale at Tampa Bay on Aug. 23.
Brown resumed practicing on Sunday as did starting linebacker Terrel Bernard, who missed a week with a hamstring injury.
The rash of injuries has also affected Buffalo’s special teams unit with kicker Tyler Bass sidelined with a pelvis issue.