The Buffalo Bills will be without four key defensive players this weekend when they face division rival Miami Dolphins. Bills trains Sean McDermott announced Friday that safety Micah Hyde, cornerback Dane Jackson and defensive linemen Ed Oliver and Jordan Phillips will each be absent for the game.
Hyde, a second-team All-Pro last season, did not practice Wednesday or Thursday and has a neck injury. He was injured while making a tackle on Robert Woods during the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game against the Tennessee Titans, and was eventually carried to the locker room. According to the Buffalo News, he will get a second opinion on the injury. McDermott would not say Thursday if Hyde was with the team that day.
Jackson, the team’s best outside corner in the absence of Tre’Davious White, also suffered a neck injury in the game against Tennessee. He was taken to Erie County Medical Center that evening for an evaluation, but was eventually released. He also didn’t train this week.
Phillips, who got off to a great start to his second term at Buffalo with 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits in two games, is out with a hamstring injury. Oliver also plays in high rotation along the defensive front and is out with an ankle injury.
In the absence of this quartet of players, the Bills will rely mainly on youth. Jaquan Johnson will likely take over alongside Jordan Poyer, who is also struggling with an injury and is listed as questionable. Rookies Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam will likely play the majority of corner snaps alongside slot player Taron Johnson. Tim Settle and DaQuan Jones will likely need to play more snaps inside the defensive line, although Settle is listed as questionable. Players like Greg Rousseau, Carlos Basham Jr. and AJ Epenesa could also see more work, to account for inside absences.
Faced with an efficient and explosive Dolphins offense at the start of the season, it is not ideal for the Bills to be without several key defensemen. Luckily for them, their own attack is incredibly hard to stop. It may have to be even more the case this weekend.
