The Buffalo Bills are dealing with an outbreak of Covid-19 at the absolute worst time.
Already depleted at wide receiver and on the offensive line, the Bills learned Friday their situation is getting worse, as receiver Gabriel Davis and guard Cody Ford were placed on the NFL's reserve/Covid-19 list. This comes ahead of a much-anticipated matchup against the New England Patriots on Sunday, a game that will determine first place in the AFC East.
Davis joins Cole Beasley among receivers on the list and Ford joins Dion Dawkins and Jon Feliciano among offensive linemen. Defensive end A.J. Epenesa also is on the Covid list. Linebacker Tyrel Dodson was activated from the list Thursday, but the Bills could still potentially be without six key members of their 53-man roster for the biggest game of the season.
As unvaccinated players, Beasley and Davis are definitely out. ESPN reported Friday that Davis is unvaccinated. That's a big loss for the offense.
"He’s been hot," coach Sean McDermott said of Davis, who has four touchdowns in the Bills' last three games. "And so, we lose a guy that’s on a roll, and he’s practiced most of the week, including (Thursday), until we found out, but we have valuable players and guys we depend on and trust that are in the wings that can step in and are expected to step up."
Unvaccinated players are required to isolate for 10 days, meaning Davis also will miss the Week 17 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Beasley would have a chance to return for that game if he's asymptomatic. He seemed relatively unbothered by his situation in a post Thursday night on Instagram.
"Just checking in everybody. I’m still partying!" a smiling, toothless Beasley wrote in his caption. "Be back soon. Hate it or love it. Go Bills!"
Of course, the more pressing concern for the Bills is Sunday's game against New England. Stefon Diggs, Emmanuel Sanders -- who will return after missing Week 15 because of a knee injury -- and Isaiah McKenzie figure to be the Bills' top three receivers in terms of playing time. Sanders was given a veteran rest day Friday, but was a full participant in Thursday's practice.
Protecting quarterback Josh Allen is also going to be a huge concern against a talented Patriots defense. Dawkins is entrenched as the starter at left tackle, while Feliciano and Ford have plenty of starting experience on the interior of the line. Without them, the Bills are down to playing their No. 8 offensive lineman -- whoever they determine that to be -- in a starting role. Offensive tackle Bobby Hart, who is on the team's practice squad, was activated from the Covid list Friday, and called up to the active roster. So, too, was wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins, a 2020 draft pick who spent his rookie year on injured reserve and has been on the practice squad since the start of the 2021 season.
"Yeah, it’s going to be kind of interchangeable parts right now," McDermott said of the offensive line. "I hate to say that without giving you a straight answer here, but that’s the best I know, and we’ll just see where we end up on Sunday. Right now, we’re averaging one Covid a day it seems like, but real proud of the guys and how resilient they’ve been at this point working through it."
The Covid outbreak hasn't been limited to just players. McDermott said special teams coordinator Heath Farwell and defensive line coach Eric Washington are being placed on the list. Assistant special teams coach Matt Smiley will take over Farwell's duties against the Patriots.
"He’ll lead the unit at this point," McDermott said, "and we’ll be there to help and support."
The Bills practiced inside Highmark Stadium on Friday for a second consecutive day -- with the hope that being outside will slow the outbreak's spread through the team.
"We’ve been virtual – the players really are only in to practice," McDermott said. "So, outside of canceling practice, that’s really what remains at this point. So, hopefully, being outside helps that. ... So doing, I think, as much as we can right now, and all the while trying to prepare for this game."
Dawkins, Feliciano and Epenesa would potentially be able to play against the Patriots if they are vaccinated, symptom free and meet one of the following requirements:
• Two PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests that are either negative or produce a cycle threshold (CT) value of 35 or greater. A person's CT value measures his or viral load, which, in turn, can tell whether that person is contagious, even if, in some cases, he would still test positive on a traditional test.
• One PCR test that is either negative or produces a CT value of 35 or greater, and a negative Mesa test result taken within 24 hours of the PCR test. Mesa tests are commonly referred to as "rapid" tests, with results available within an hour.
• Two negative Mesa tests.
"I think it’ll be individually decided on who it is, and how much time they really need, how long they’ve been out," McDermott said when asked about how much practice time a player might need before being able to get back in the lineup after coming off the Covid list. "The health and safety of the players, or coach for that matter at this point, is the most important piece. And so I use our medical team, Nate Breske, and our training staff for that. And then once we get through kind of that filter, if you will, then it’s 'Hey, what do we need on the field for us? And are they ready to perform?' "
White to reserve list
Injured cornerback Tre'Davious White was also added to the Covid list, according to the league's daily report.
White was placed on season-ending injured reserve in mid-December with a torn knee ligament.
Lotulelei update
The Bills' absences against the Patriots might not only be related to Covid. Along the defensive line, Star Lotulelei missed a second consecutive practice Friday for personal reasons. McDermott said during an interview with WGR-550 on Friday morning that he was unsure if the veteran defensive tackle would play against the Patriots.
He was listed as questionable on the final injury report -- the only player given a status by the team.
Bills add punter, receiver to practice squad
The Bills signed former Browns punter Jamie Gillan to the practice squad on Friday, according to a report from NFL Network. Gillan, nicknamed the "Scottish Hammer," was waived by Cleveland on Wednesday.
The team also signed wide receiver Austin Proehl to the practice squad. Proehl, a seventh-round draft pick of the Bills in 2018, has spent time on the rosters of four other NFL teams, but has yet to appear in a regular-season game.
