Bills ‘hit by injury bug’ as 2024 minicamp begins

The Buffalo Bills have been bitten by the injury bug as their mandatory 2024 minicamp begins.

Seven players will not participate in Tuesday’s practice while three others will participate on a limited basis. The linebacker group was hit hardest by the rash of injuries, with Dorian Williams, Edefuan Ulofoshio, Nicholas Morrow and Baylon Spector missing Tuesday’s practice entirely; former All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano will participate in individual drills. The influx of injuries at the position could explain why the Bills are testing linebackers Stephen Hillis and Shaquille Quarterman at minicamp.

Running backs Ray Davis, Ty Johnson and Reggie Gilliam will also be out Tuesday. Safety Mike Edwards and right tackle Spencer Brown will be limited participants.

Head coach Sean McDermott addressed the team’s injuries while speaking to reporters before Tuesday’s practice.

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“Unfortunately, it’s injury related,” McDermott said. “We’ve kind of been hit by the injury bug here. This affects availability, which affects some of the development and building trust, especially if you’re a new player. We’ve just been dealing with it, we’ve had to cut back on some third group reps over the last week, and we might have to do the same today, we’ll see how it goes.

Williams, Ulofoshio, Davis and Gilliam also missed OTA practices due to undisclosed injuries. Milano is recovering from a broken tibia while Edwards and Brown are recovering from shoulder pain; The tackle underwent offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum.

Fortunately for Buffalo, its three-day minicamp will soon give way to a six-week break. Players will have the opportunity to rest and recover further, allowing them to get off to a fresh start when training camp begins next month at St. John Fisher University.