The Buffalo Bills starters won’t see the field Saturday when they close out their preseason schedule against the Carolina Panthers. That doesn’t mean the game isn’t important, however, as several key questions continue to linger over the franchise.
Buffalo has endured a frustrating summer between a myriad of injuries and ineffective performance from players expected to step up following an offseason roster overhaul. It’s raised questions about whether the longtime AFC contenders are still a Super Bowl threat.
No definitive answers will be discovered Saturday at Highmark Stadium. Yet, a strong performance from the reserves, especially those on the roster fringe, would help. The Bills could use any form of positive vibes they can get before the regular season kicks off.
Buffalo Bills Storylines To Watch vs. Panthers
Ben DiNucci And Anthony Brown Jr. Try To Overtake Mitchell Trubisky
Trubisky has basically been handed the backup quarterback role behind Josh Allen, but it probably shouldn’t be that way. He struggled throughout training camp and wasn’t any better in two preseason outings before suffering a knee injury.
The 2017 second overall pick completed 19 of his 31 passes for 168 yards with no touchdowns and one interception against the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers, his two former teams. He was also sacked four times. In general, he didn’t look ready to take over the offense if Allen got hurt.
Now, with Trubisky’s status uncertain for Week 1, DiNucci and Brown should get ample snaps to make their case to claim the No. 2 spot on the QB depth chart.
DiNucci signed last week after third-stringer Shane Buechele suffered a season-ending neck injury. The play calls when he played against the Bears were predictably limited. The same will likely be true for Brown on Saturday after signing in response to Trubisky’s injury.
Nevertheless, both quarterbacks could see about a half of action in the preseason finale and, at this point, a couple standout series may turn the tide in their favor. Buffalo is looking for any type of offensive spark that doesn’t revolve around their superstar quarterback.
The bottom line remains the same, though: the Bills are screwed if Allen misses any extended period of time in 2024.
Bills Safety Outlook Murky As Injuries Continue To Pile Up
Buffalo has eight safeties on the roster as it attempts to replace the longtime starting tandem of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. Four of them are hurt. It’s creating a lot of concern at a position where the Bills were among the NFL’s best for the best seven years.
Here are the injuries the team is dealing with as Week 1 looms:
- Mike Edwards (hamstring)
- Cole Bishop (shoulder)
- Damar Hamlin (hamstring)
- Terrell Burgess (hamstring)
As of today, the opening day starters would be Taylor Rapp and Cam Lewis. Kareem Jackson and Kendall Williamson are the other healthy options.
The issue is magnified without having a middle-of-the-field eraser like linebacker Matt Milano available. Milano is sidelined until at least December because of a biceps injury. So, how are the Bills going to defend between the hashes? It’s a pressing issue.
Edwards and Bishop returned to individual drills at practice this week. It’s a step in the right direction, but there are still hurdles to overcome, especially since neither one has played in the Buffalo defensive scheme. They missed a lot of valuable reps in recent weeks.
It would be promising if Jackson, a battle-tested veteran, had a nice game Saturday. An extra calming presence in the secondary is needed until the injury issues begin to fade away.
Will Tyler Bass Become A Major Liability For Buffalo?
Bass looked like one of the NFL’s best young kickers over his first three seasons. He took a significant step back last year, though. He missed five field goals during the regular season and three more in the playoffs, including a potential game-tying kick late in a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bills didn’t bring in any serious competition this offseason—likely a bid to help the kicker’s confidence—but the practice results remain a problem. He’s regularly missed multiple kicks per practice over the past month, and it hasn’t improved in recent days.
Tyler Bass continues to be a concern.
Began his FG session with misses from 42 and 43. Both left
He then made from 28.
Pulled another one left from 40.
Then made two from inside 35 and finished with a make from 48.Last one redeemed the session a bit#Bills
— Thad Brown (@thadbrown7) August 21, 2024
Head coach Sean McDermott once again pushed aside questions about the issue this week, though.
“Confidence is very high in T-Bass,” McDermott told reporters Thursday. “What I see right now is that he’s striking the ball very well.”
To his credit, Bass has connected on all three field-goal attempts in the preseason. As long as he’s making them in game, the practice misses are less of a concern. But it’s a situation to monitor closely Saturday and during the early portion of the regular season.
Buffalo’s margin for error won’t be as sizable this season as it was in past years. In turn, missed kicks will likely have a larger impact on games. If Bass struggles, the Bills probably won’t have much choice beyond making a change at this position.
