As the Buffalo Bills gear up for their Week 3 clash against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a cloud of concern is hovering over the former team. The Bills are looking to continue their strong start, but injuries to key players could pose significant challenges, with their standout defenders ruled out for the game. The Bills are facing some tough decisions heading into this game, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

The Bills will be without two key defensive players for Monday’s game against the Jaguars. Linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Taron Johnson have both been ruled out, which could leave Buffalo’s defense vulnerable.

Starting linebacker Terrel Bernard suffering a pectoral injury in Thursday’s game against Dolphins. The 25-year-old, who had already established himself as a core defensive player, was injured late in the first quarter. Initially ruled as questionable, the injury was later confirmed to be more severe, with head coach Sean McDermott stating, “Unfortunately, he’s going to be out multiple weeks.” The LB is expected to miss at least a month, but there’s hope his injury won’t be season-ending.

On the other hand, cornerback Taron Johnson is sidelined due to a forearm injury sustained during the Bills’ victory over Arizona. Johnson’s injury occurred early in the game, and he did not return to action. McDermott commented, “He’ll be ruled out for this week,” leaving his return timeline uncertain as further evaluations continue. With the 28-year-old also out, Buffs will rely on Cam Lewis and potentially bring in rookie Daequan Hardy for depth at the position.

The Bills are already thin on defense, missing other key players like Matt Milano, and the absence of Bernard and Johnson only adds to their woes. As they prepare to face a strong Jaguars offense, the “next man up” mentality will be tested once again.

Buffalo Bills juggle injuries: Josh Allen ready, others questionable for week 3

Injury troubles are stacking up for the Buffalo Bills ahead of Week 3, but it’s not all bad news. Josh Allen, who banged up his left (non-throwing) hand during Week 1 against the Cardinals, has been managing the injury pretty well. He’s fully practicing, and the team isn’t concerned about his availability for the Jaguars game. Head coach Sean McDermott is relaxed, and Allen’s performance against Miami shows the QB is ready.

“He’s been diligent about managing it,” McDermott mentioned earlier this week, confident that Allen will be ready for game day. As for the rest of the squad, backup QB Mitchell Trubisky, tight end Quintin Morris, running back Ty Johnson, and defensive end Casey Toohill all practiced fully, so Bills fans can breathe a little easier there. The concern is with defensive ends Dawuane Smoot and Javon Solomon, who were limited during practice. While not ideal, the HC will likely keep an eye on their progress heading into Saturday.

“We’ll see where they’re at after Saturday’s practice,” said the head coach. The Buffs know they need as many healthy bodies as possible to stay competitive, but the team management’s calm demeanor suggests he’s confident in his depth chart.

With that being said, do check out our latest Think Tank exclusive interview with Doug Sanders. It’s packed with insights on the current NFL season, college football, NIL, and much more.