4 takeaways: Bills injury updates, position battles, stadium return, more from camp

Yahoo

2 days ago

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (WIVB) — Injuries have been the prevalent storyline of Buffalo Bills training camp thus far, and that continued when the team returned from a day off for its seventh practice at St. John Fisher University. Here are some WIVB News 4 takeaways from the session and media availabilities.
Who's out?
Rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston is out indefinitely with a sprained ligament in the right knee he hurt Tuesday during a non-contact drill. The injury is not as severe as some originally feared, but it does lower the likelihood of Buffalo's first-round draft pick's beating out returning veteran Tre'Davious White for a starting position. Hairston was seen using crutches to get around campus Thursday.
Meanwhile second-year safety Cole Bishop, another young defender being groomed for the starting lineup, was held out of practice Tuesday with a quadriceps injury. Bishop hurt his shoulder last summer and started his rookie season on injured reserve. A groin issue limited him during minicamp.
Backup offensive lineman Alec Anderson has been listed as week-to-week after having surgery for a right knee injury sustained during Monday's practice.
Starting middle linebacker Terrel Bernard (hamstring), backup linebacker Dorian Williams (calf), kicker Tyler Bass (pelvis) offensive lineman Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (calf), wide receiver Curtis Samuel (hamstring) and rookie wideout Kaden Prather (hamstring) remained out of practice, while receiver Joshua Palmer spent the latter portion of practice working with trainers on the side. Veteran defensive linemen Greg Rousseau and Daquan Jones, and offensive tackle Dion Dawkins were given the day off to rest.
Who's in
The Bills activated right tackle Spencer Brown from the physically unable to perform list after Thursday's practice. Brown has missed the start of camp with a recurring back injury, but has been engaged with teammates on the sidelines during individual and team drills, and was seen doing agility testing with trainers Thursday.
Tight end Dawson Knox practiced for the first time Thursday after being held out with a hamstring injury. Receiver Tyrell Shavers returned after missing two practices with an ankle injury, as did defensive tackle DeWayne Carter, who was held out Tuesday due to illness.
With injured defensive end Hayden Harris (hamstring) waived, the Bills brought back Kameron Cline, who spent much of the past two seasons on the practice squad.
The replacements
With Bernard out, fourth-year veteran Baylon Spector and second-year player Joe Andreesseen rotated at middle linebacker with the starting defense.
Damar Hamlin and Darrick Forest rotated alongside Taylor Rapp at safety. Rookie Jordan Hancock has been moving between backup safety and the nickel position during training camp.
Ryan Van DeMark took Dawkins' place at left tackle. Second-year player Tylan Grable has been playing right tackle with the starting OL since Brown went out.
Hairston's injury has created opportunity for another rookie. Dorian Strong, a sixth-round pick from Virginia Tech, practiced with the second-team Thursday and continued displaying coverage skill shown in limited reps prior to that.
Coming attraction
The annual Return of the Blue and Red practice kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Highmark Stadium. In years past, the color of Josh Allen's helmet has been the most notable development at this event that draws more than 40,000 fans to the Bills stadium.
The Bills have Saturday off before returning to St. John Fisher for the final four training camp practices in a five-day span.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.
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