Buffalo Bills Injury Report: Week 14 vs Cincinnati Bengals
Winter has rolled into Orchard Park, where Week 14 brings 34-degree chill, light snow, and the kind of Buffalo weather that makes visiting teams immediately regret all their life decisions. It’s the third showdown between Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. A rivalry as chaotic as Burrow’s wardrobe choices, which usually look like Stefon Diggs and Justin Bieber collaborated in a dimly lit thrift store. But fashion aside, the real headline this week is the Buffalo Bills Injury Report, which once again arrives longer than a CVS receipt as the 8–4 Bills host the 4–8 Bengals. And with so many key names still banged up, Buffalo enters this matchup trying to stay hot in a very cold December.
The Buffalo Bills Injury Report stays jam-packed in Week 14, even after last week’s big win. Star Defensive End Joey Bosa has been shut down with a hamstring strain, LB Terrel Bernard is ruled OUT, and WR Joshua Palmer managed to get hurt in practice last week, leaving him DOUBTFUL and set to miss his second straight game. The Bills also listed TE Dalton Kincaid and RT Spencer Brown as QUESTIONABLE. Apparently Kincaid suffered a bizarre setback where his hamstring recovery was going fine, but his previously injured knee wasn’t. And as always, Buffalo’s IR looks like a full backup roster: WR Curtis Samuel, DE Landon Jackson, DT Ed Oliver, DE Michael Hoecht, WR Mecole Hardman, SAF Damar Hamlin, DT DeWayne Carter, CB Dorian Strong, K Tyler Bass, and SAF Taylor Rapp. The Bills keep winning, but they’re doing it thigh-first, taped together, and dancing through an injury report that refuses to shrink. This week also brought a waiver wire blunder, as Buffalo tried to scoop up CB Darius Slay Jr., only to walk away empty-handed along with CB Ja’Marcus Ingram ESPN.
While the Buffalo Bills Injury Report dominates headlines, the Cincinnati Bengals are making news for who’s actually available. Joe Burrow returns under center for his second straight game after missing most of the season, and WR Tee Higgins is back fresh off a concussion, giving the Bengals a spark in their passing game. Defensive End Trey Hendrickson remains OUT, and notable IR absences include DE Shemar Stewart and CB Cam Taylor-Britt, but otherwise this roster is unusually healthy. With playoff hopes hanging by a thread, Cincinnati heads to Buffalo boiling over for a run, ready to lean on Burrow and a mostly intact lineup to try and shake the Bills off their snowy home turf.
OUT
DE Joey Bosa – Hamstring/Wrist
Joey Bosa has been one of the Bills’ toughest warriors, playing through a suspected left wrist fracture he suffered in Week 8 against the Panthers. Since then, he’s rotated between wrist braces, a full club, and a thumb spica cast. Despite the pain and limitations, Bosa has stayed on the field for around 60% of snaps in the last five games.
Unfortunately, Bosa picked up a new injury in Week 13: a strained hamstring late in the game. Hamstring strains typically require about 13 days for recovery (Strive Tech), and the Bills’ conservative approach to soft tissue injuries suggests he could miss 2-4 weeks.
LB Terrel Bernard – Elbow
Terrel Bernard will miss a second straight game after being knocked out of the Week 12 matchup against the Texans with what appears to be a dislocated right elbow. The average return-to-play timeline for this type of injury is roughly 25 days (PMC, 2018), making his availability for next week’s game questionable.
When Bernard does return, he’ll almost certainly be limited by an elbow brace to prevent further damage, meaning the Bills will have to keep improvising in the linebacker corps.
DOUBTFUL
WR Joshua Palmer – Knee/Ankle
Joshua Palmer returned to action for two weeks after missing three games (five weeks total) due to a suspected high ankle sprain and mild MCL sprain sustained in Week 6 against Atlanta. His recovery initially aligned with the typical 4–6 week window for high ankle sprains (Clanton et al., 2000), and over those two games he played roughly 50% of snaps, showing signs of moving past his injuries.
Unfortunately, last week Palmer aggravated his injury during practice, as evidenced by missing Thursday practice and being limited on Friday. He ultimately missed the Week 13 game and is now listed as DOUBTFUL, which almost certainly rules him out for a second straight contest. The Bills are listing both his ankle and knee, with Coach McDermott noting, “He’s not in the best place in terms of his body and injury.” If Palmer doesn’t return to practice next week, a full shutdown is in effect, keeping Buffalo’s WR depth in a delicate thigh-to-thigh balance.
QUESTIONABLE
TE Dalton Kincaid – Hamstring/Knee
Dalton Kincaid enters Week 14 listed as QUESTIONABLE with both a hamstring and a knee issue, continuing the saga of the Buffalo Bills Injury Report. He has missed the last three games after originally suffering a right hamstring strain in Week 10 against the Dolphins and was approaching four weeks of recovery. Kincaid knocked off some rust as he returned to practice last week, and the feeling was he was set to play this week, but was limited all week again. Shockingly, he aggravated his left knee, the opposite leg of his current hamstring injury, during rehab.
This left knee has a history: Kincaid suffered a PCL sprain last season that caused him to miss three games. A PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) prevents the tibia from shifting backward on the femur, and hamstring exercises can theoretically stress this ligament by pulling the tibia posteriorly. With hamstring and knee both uncertain, and a bulky brace now in place, Kincaid’s Week 14 status is anyone’s guess, a perfect example of Buffalo’s injury report circus keeping fans on edge.
OT Spencer Brown – Shoulder
Spencer Brown has been limited in all practices this week after missing last week due to a right shoulder injury. He was knocked out of the Week 12 game against the Texans, likely suffering a labral tear and/or shoulder subluxation.
Players with this type of injury return in roughly 1.6 weeks (PMC, 2017), but Brown will likely need offseason surgery similar to what he had before the 2024 season. He was seen practicing in a harness this week, and while Brown himself says he feels close to ready, the team has listed him as QUESTIONABLE.
The injury is particularly concerning because it affects his post arm, adding extra stress on his right shoulder and potentially impacting his blocking ability. He is more than likely to play this week or next, but if the shoulder remains unstable or takes another hit, Brown may be forced into a season-ending shutdown, another reminder that the Buffalo Bills Injury Report is never short on drama.
ALSO LISTED (ACTIVE)
OT Dion Dawkins – Concussion
Dion Dawkins is set to return this week after missing Week 13 with a concussion sustained in the Week 12 game against the Texans. He was initially cleared to play in that game after an early check but ultimately reported post-game symptoms. This week, Dawkins was partially limited in practice, but cleared the concussion protocol and will take the field on Sunday. By game day, he will have had 17 days of rest, well above the average NFL return-to-play time of nine days (Smith et al., 2022), which has added extra scrutiny over the decision to clear him for the Week 12 contest. Dawkins’ return gives Buffalo stability at left tackle, but the team will likely monitor his reps carefully to keep his thighs and body fresh throughout the game.
DE A.J. Epenesa – Foot
A.J. Epenesa caused a brief panic this week when he was a surprise addition to the Buffalo Bills Injury Report on Thursday with a foot injury, especially since he hadn’t appeared on Wednesday’s report. Just when Bills Mafia was bracing for another practice-related setback, Epenesa returned to full practice on Friday, calming the fears. Coach McDermott confirmed in his pre-practice press conference that Epenesa “should be fine” for the game. While the exact extent of the injury remains unclear, it will be worth monitoring his snap counts, as the Bills’ defensive line is already stretched thin.
Rounding out the Buffalo Bills Injury Report this week are a few key contributors who practiced in full all week despite minor issues. Long snapper Reid Ferguson (neck), fullback Reggie Gilliam (knee), TE Jackson Hawes (back), and DT T.J. Sanders (wrist) all showed up at full capacity, providing some much-needed stability and depth as Buffalo navigates a patchwork roster. Their full participation gives the Bills coaching staff a bit of breathing room while managing the rest of the injury carousel.
Feature Image via Mike Garafolo official X account (@MikeGarafolo)
