The Buffalo Bills are losing wide receivers to knee injuries in the playoffs at an alarming rate.
The hits just keep coming for the Buffalo Bills. The team’s Wild Card win against the Jacksonville Jaguars proved to be costly to active roster, especially at wide receiver. On Tuesday, head coach Sean McDermott revealed that wide receiver Tyrell Shavers suffered a torn ACL in action last Sunday.
This, after wide receiver Gabe Davis was lost for the season due to a torn ACL suffered against the Jaguars during a brutal tackling sequence. While not yet official, it’s believed that Shavers has played his last down of these playoffs, now set to join Davis on Injured Reserve (IR).
Remarkably, after enduring the injury in the second quarter, Shavers returned to field to play the entire second half with the Bills. Per Bills reporter Sal Capaccio, McDermott stated that the team wasn’t aware of the severity of Shavers’ injury until after the game where he underwent further testing. McDermott reportedly used the words “unbelievable” and “remarkable” to describe Shavers fortitude. It’s another testament to Shavers’ commitment to hard work and relentless effort, which has seen him develop from roster long shot, to the practice squad, and now an important part of Buffalo’s plans at receiver and on special teams.
Shavers, like Davis, will be missed, and now the Bills must fully implement emergency plans to meaningfully fill the holes at wide receiver on the 53-man roster. There’s potentially good news on that front with the return of wide receiver Curtis Samuel off of IR. Buffalo currently has one open spot on the active roster due to Davis’ IR stint, but another opening is likely forthcoming with the expected move to place Shavers on IR as well.
In terms of wide receivers currently healthy and on the 53-man active roster, the Bills have only Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, and Brandin Cooks. The Bills just signed wide receiver wide receiver Christian Wilkerson to the practice squad, and there’s also Mecole Hardman Jr. who the team could call up for Sunday against the Denver Broncos.
Category: General Sports
