NFL Injury Report Week 3: Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins
It’s Thursday night under the Orchard Park lights, and the Week 3 showdown between the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins has all the drama you could want: divisional stakes, primetime pressure, and the return of Josh Allen’s favorite pastime — reminding Miami that he’s their daddy. The Dolphins have spent years trying to break free, but every time Allen shows up, he just squishes the fish. The only thing that could slow this rivalry down? The injury report, which is once again stacked with names on both sides. Let’s break down who’s in, who’s out, and who’s held together with tape and prayers.
The Bills’ defense takes the biggest hits this week. Star DT Ed Oliver has officially been ruled OUT after a mysterious ankle injury popped up last week. Rumor has it he hurt it on his horse, which is somehow the most Ed Oliver way possible to miss a divisional game. Former All-Pro LB Matt Milano also won’t suit up, courtesy of a pec injury from last week. The dude is so yoked that he’s literally breaking himself down, proof that sometimes there really is such a thing as too much chest day. Listed as QUESTIONABLE are CB Taron Johnson, do-it-all DB Cam Lewis, and depth LB Shaq Thompson, who could all swing the Bills’ defensive depth depending on how they warm up. On the longer-term side, K Tyler Bass and rookie CB Maxwell Hairston remain out of the mix, as they enter their third game on the IR list.
Miami’s own injury list is stacked like South Beach nightlife, and it’s not all pretty. Officially OUT are CB Storm Duck, S Ifeatu Melifonwu, and TE Darren Waller, all losses that will test Miami’s depth chart. QUESTIONABLE tags belong to speedster WR Jaylen Waddle, DE Chop Robinson, and DT Benito Jones. Then there’s the IR graveyard: CBs Kader Kohou, Artie Burns, and Cam Smith are all sidelined, along with key OLs Liam Eichenberg, Austin Jackson, and James Daniels, plus K Jason Sanders. That’s a lot of manpower missing, and when you’re lining up against Josh Allen who already treats you like his personal highlight reel, you can’t afford to come in shorthanded.
OUT
DT Ed Oliver; This one’s a head-scratcher. Oliver held a full press conference last Wednesday after practice looking perfectly fine, then somehow rolled into the facility Thursday morning with a walking boot on his left ankle. Sean McDermott chalked it up to getting “stepped on” during practice, but the details don’t quite add up.
Adam Schefter is already reported it’s a multi-week injury, and considering the boot plus this timeline, the most logical diagnosis is a high ankle sprain. Those usually linger 4–6 weeks (BJSM, 2020), so even though the Bills have kept him off IR, don’t be surprised if he’s sidelined until at least Week 5 against New England. He has yet to practice since his injury, missing all practices this week, and was reported to still be wearing the boot earlier this week.
LB Matt Milano; Linebacker Matt Milano’s Week 2 matchup against the Jets came to an early end after a freak sequence late in the second quarter. Milano tripped, braced his fall with his arms, and injured his right pectoral muscle in the process.
A pectoral injury can have a wide recovery range. According to a 2021 NFL study, roughly 45% of pec strains do not require surgery, with an average return-to-play timeline of 47 days. That said, outcomes can swing dramatically depending on whether the injury is classified as a Grade 1 or Grade 2 strain.
Bills fans may remember Milano has dealt with this exact issue before. In 2020, he suffered a pec strain that forced him to miss two games, briefly return, then ultimately land on injured reserve for four additional weeks. For comparison, fellow linebacker Terrel Bernard only missed two weeks with a pec strain last season — proof of just how variable this type of injury can be.
Head coach Sean McDermott hasn’t offered much clarity on Milano’s status, calling it “What I’ve been told is it’s too early to tell before this thing settles in or plays itself out.” Interestingly, McDermott mentioned Tuesday that Milano might practice Wednesday. If that was not just standard McDermott gamesmanship, it would suggest that surgery is not required. Still, the hedging in his comments leaves open the possibility that Milano could end up on injured reserve, depending on how the injury responds over the coming days.
QUESTIONABLE
CB Taron Johnson; Former All-pro Taron Johnson has kept Bills fans on their toes the past two weeks. After finishing Week 1 against the Ravens without issue, his sudden appearance on the injury report with a quad designation came as a surprise. Johnson publicly downplayed the injury and even insisted he would play last week, but ultimately he was held out.
In Week 1 he was last seen on the field at 7:56 in the 4th quarter making a tackle on Zay Flowers. This week, the quad remains a question mark, as Johnson logged only limited practices leading up to Thursday night. The exact nature of the injury, whether it’s a deep thigh bruise or a mild quadriceps strain, hasn’t been confirmed. The good news for Buffalo is that Johnson told reporters this week he does plan to play against Miami. Given his competitiveness and the magnitude of a primetime divisional matchup, all signs point toward Johnson suiting up, even if he’s not at 100%.
LB Shaq Thompson; Shaq Thompson has been limited the past two weeks with a hamstring/hand issue. He experienced similar hamstring problems during camp but was not reported leaving the Week 1 game. Despite McDermott noting he wasn’t practicing last Wednesday, Thompson showed up in full pads albeit only doing sideline drills and logging a DNP. He was taken limited reps in practice ever since. This appears to be more of a lingering, chronic issue that he can likely manage, but the new hand issue might be his limiting factor.
DB Cam Lewis; Defensive back Cam Lewis took a rough tumble onto his shoulder last week and has been wearing the red non-contact jersey in practice ever since. He was limited all week, and the injury appears consistent with an AC joint sprain.
In the NFL, recovery from this type of injury typically takes around 10 days, though minor cases can sometimes clear up in just a few days. With Taron Johnson trending toward a return this week, the Bills may decide to give Lewis extra time to fully heal rather than forcing him back too soon, especially on a short week. If Johnson suits up against Miami, Lewis could be the one to benefit most, buying the recovery window he needs to avoid aggravating the shoulder.
Also Listed (Active)
DB Jordan Hancock; Another surprise addition on the injury report last week was when Hancock was added on Thursday. Interestingly, he had no designation on the day prior, suggesting a possible new issue. Hancock dealt with a preseason injury, reported as a stinger, though it resembled an AC joint sprain to the ThighDoctor.
He was inactive Week 1, but not due to injury. He was also sat last week, but unclear if due to injury or just due to roster gymnastics. There is no questions this week, as he may get his first gameday jersey especially if Cam Lewis is unable to play.
Players on Injured Reserve
K Tyler Bass (Left hip/groin)
CB Maxwell Hairston (Knee)
OT Tylan Grable (Concussion)
DT DeWayne Carter (Achilles)
