Buffalo Bills Injury Report: Week 16 vs Cleveland Browns
Week 16 sends the Buffalo Bills (10–4) to Cleveland to face the Browns (3–11), with Buffalo riding high after a stunning 21-point comeback over the Patriots, but once again the Buffalo Bills injury report sits front and center as the team continues navigating a season full of ailments despite looking healthier than usual this week. Cleveland, meanwhile, appears deep in evaluation mode with several key players expected to sit, even as Myles Garrett closes in on the NFL single-season sack record just 1.5 sacks away. Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders also enters the spotlight after a week dominated more by viral wardrobe-malfunction rumors than on-field success, adding another layer of chaos to a matchup that may hinge on depth, discipline, and which team manages its injury situation best.
The Buffalo Bills injury report looks surprisingly light in Week 16, with only two players ruled OUT: kicker Matt Prater and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. Also, DB Cam Lewis and WR Mecole Hardman Jr. land as QUESTIONABLE, though Hardman remains on IR as he works through his 21-day practice window and could be the leading candidate for Buffalo’s newly opened roster spot after rookie OT Chase Lundt was placed on IR. The Bills also made a notable special teams move by adding kicker Michael Badgley to the practice squad, and league chatter continues to link Buffalo to veteran pass rusher Matthew Judon as a potential late-season reinforcement. Outside the official designations, several starters had their practice reps managed but are all expected to play. Buffalo still carries a sizable IR group including; WR Curtis Samuel, DE Landon Jackson, DT Ed Oliver, DE Michael Hoecht, SAF Damar Hamlin, DT DeWayne Carter, CB Dorian Strong, K Tyler Bass, and SAF Taylor Rapp. Fortunately, compared to recent weeks, the Buffalo Bills injury report finally feels more stable as the team pushes into the stretch run.
The Browns enter Week 16 looking every bit like a team shifting into full tank mode, and their injury sheet backs it up. Cleveland ruled out six starters and key contributors; OT Jack Conklin, TE David Njoku, CB Denzel Ward, LB Winston Reid, RB Dylan Sampson, and QB Deshaun Watson. Only two players land as QUESTIONABLE, linebacker Sam Kamara and guard Wyatt Teller. The IR list is equally stacked with impact names, including center Ethan Pocic, running back Jerome Ford, defensive tackle Maliek Collins, corner Martin Emerson, offensive tackle Dawand Jones, and star linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. With so many core pieces shut down or sidelined, Cleveland’s depth will be heavily tested, and the contrast between the Browns’ lengthy list and the more streamlined Buffalo Bills injury report only amplifies the sense that the Browns are turning their focus toward the future rather than the win column.
OUT
K Matt Prater – Right Quad
Prater suffered a right quad strain, likely occurring on the final kickoff of Week 15 against the Patriots. As this is his kicking leg, recovery timelines are particularly important; quad strains typically require 2–4 weeks depending on severity. If the rectus femoris is involved, return can take closer to 25 days (Brophy RH et al). The Bills are expected to rely on newly added practice squad kicker Michael Badgley for the remainder of the regular season, with Prater’s playoff availability still TBD
DT Jordan Phillips – Ankle
Phillips exited early in Week 15 against the Patriots with an ankle injury and was quickly ruled out for Week 16. The injury appears to be week-to-week in nature, with a high ankle sprain as a potential concern. Phillips had been contributing a solid share of defensive snaps, averaging 35.6% between Weeks 12–14, meaning his absence will create a notable gap along the defensive line.
Placed on Injured Reserve
OT Chase Lundt – Knee
Lundt appeared on the injury report for the first time on Thursday with a knee injury, strongly suggesting this was a mid-week practice setback since he was not listed on Wednesday. He’s been active for only two games this season, and while the specifics of the injury remain unknown, the move to injured reserve almost certainly ends his year. This also has the feel of a strategic IR stash, allowing the Bills to retain the developmental offensive tackle without exposing him to waivers as they prepare to add a new player to the 53-man roster.
QUESTIONABLE
WR Mecole Hardman Jr. – Calf (IR)
Hardman has played just one game for Buffalo this season, logging four offensive snaps in Week 11 against Tampa Bay before exiting early with a calf injury. He also handled punt-return duties prior to going down. Now five weeks removed from the injury, he’s well beyond the NFL’s typical 2–3 week return-to-play window for calf strains, and he reinforced that progress by logging back-to-back full practices this week (Werner BC et al.). Physically, he appears ready if the Bills choose to activate him from IR. The decision now becomes a roster-management puzzle: Buffalo has one open spot on the 53-man roster but is already carrying six wide receivers, making Hardman’s status one of the more intriguing storylines heading into Sunday.
DB Cam Lewis – Hamstring
Lewis appears to be the latest addition to the Bills’ growing list of midweek practice injuries. He wasn’t listed on Wednesday but popped up Thursday with a limited participation, which carried into Friday, strongly suggesting a hamstring strain sustained during practice. Midweek hamstring injuries rarely set players up well for Sunday, as the average NFL return-to-play timeline is roughly 13 days (Strive). The silver lining is that Lewis was able to practice in a limited capacity on Friday, indicating a mild strain. Expect the Bills to sit him this week, with a realistic chance he’s ahead of schedule for a Week 17 return.
Also Listed (Active)
CB Christian Benford – Toe
Benford missed last week after suffering a toe injury in practice, a issue that initially raised real concern when he was spotted in a walking shoe. Early signs pointed toward a mild toe sprain, and based on typical recovery timelines of 3–14 days, his Week 15 absence made sense (Kort).
This week, however, Benford showed clear progress, ramping from limited early in the week to a full practice on Friday, removing almost all doubt about his availability. He is expected to be active Sunday and return to his role as one of Buffalo’s most impactful defenders over the past month. Still, toe injuries can flare with explosive movement, so it will be worth monitoring for any setbacks as the game and season unfold.
LB Terrel Bernard – Elbow
Bernard has been sidelined since dislocating his right elbow in Week 12 against Houston, an injury that typically carries an average return-to-play timeline of about 25 days (PMC, 2018).
Now four weeks removed from the injury, he has surpassed that benchmark and is set to return this Sunday. Bernard will play with an elbow brace, but the extended downtime comes with a hidden benefit as he’s also had time to rest the lingering ankle issue he battled through the middle of the season. The real question becomes how the Bills deploy him: Bernard has been Buffalo’s defensive signal-caller, but backup linebacker Shaq Thompson has played extremely well in his absence. Whether Bernard steps directly back into a full starting role or rotates more than usual will be one of the more intriguing defensive storylines this week.
TE Dalton Kincaid – Knee
Kincaid continues to be one of the most polarizing names on the injury report after reportedly aggravating his left knee, the same knee that required PCL rehab last year, while rehabbing his right hamstring strain a few weeks ago. Bills Mafia went on high alert early this week when Kincaid missed Wednesday and Thursday’s practices, but he returned as a full participant on Friday and is cleared to play. His value to the offense is undeniable, yet Buffalo continues to throttle his workload: he has averaged just 35% of the offensive snaps over the past two weeks, his first games back since missing three with the hamstring/knee issues. The Bills will likely maintain a cautious approach, but Kincaid’s availability remains a significant boost to an offense still navigating multiple lingering injuries.
OT Dion Dawkins – Illness
Dawkins is set to play this week after missing the rare two consecutive practice days due to illness. While his absence briefly raised eyebrows, the issue was non-injury related, and he returned without limitations on Friday.
CB Taron Johnson – Quad/Vet Rest
Johnson has battled a rotating list of injuries over the past two seasons, and his overall usage reflects it: down to 74% of snaps in 2025 compared to 84% in 2024. He appeared to come out of last week’s game clean, but landed on the injury report with a quad issue, making his practice pattern one of the strangest of the week: Full → Limited → DNP (Vet Rest). Despite the zig-zagging participation, he’s expected to be active on Sunday. How the Bills deploy him, both this week and moving forward, will be worth watching closely.
DT DaQuan Jones – Calf
Jones appeared to make it out of last week clean, but he surfaced on the injury report with a calf issue, immediately raising concern given he already missed three games this season with a calf strain. Like Taron Johnson, Jones logged one of the stranger practice patterns of the week: Full → Limited → DNP (Vet Rest), a sequence that suggests the Bills are being extremely cautious rather than dealing with a major setback. He’ll be active Sunday, but he’ll be one of the most important players to monitor as Buffalo nears the postseason. Jones has played about 61% of the snaps this year, and it’s worth remembering he suffered his earlier calf strain during warmups in Week 6, just one week after logging a season-high 73.3% snap share against New England. He posted an above-average 67.3% last week, and at age 34 with a history of soft tissue issues, Buffalo appears wise to throttle his workload until the playoffs.
P Mitch Wishnowsky – Right Knee
Wishnowsky appears to have suffered yet another midweek practice injury, joining the growing list of Bills players affected by practice setbacks. He was absent from Wednesday’s report but appeared Thursday with a knee injury on his kicking leg and was limited in practice on Friday too. As Buffalo’s third punter of the season, it’s no surprise he picked up a midweek issue in a season already riddled with practice injuries. He is expected to be active Sunday, but all eyes will be on him, as this is his kicking leg and he will also be holding for a new kicker, potentially impacting timing and reps.
Feature Image courtesy of @michaelrothman
