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Buffalo Bills Make Several Roster Moves In Preparation For Game Against Oakland, WR’s Robert Woods, Sammy Watkins, And Percy Harvin Among A Slew Of Players In Danger Of Not Playing Sunday

By Daniel Benjamin
Published on: 11:51 PST, Nov 30, 2016

The Buffalo Bills have dealt with several injuries throughout the year. And to avoid entering the final stretch of the season short-handed, the team made several roster moves yesterday.

Chris Brown, reporter for the Bills’ official website, wrote that the Bills have placed defensive tackle Corbin Bryant and wide receiver Walter Powell on injured reserve on Tuesday, thus ending their seasons.

Bryant had missed the previous three games due to a shoulder injury he suffered in Week 8 against New England. He filled in at nose tackle while Marcell Dareus served his league-imposed four-game suspension, and then missed more time with a couple of injuries. Bryant racked up 11 tackles (five solo).

Bryant is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season.

Powell sustained an ankle injury in last Sunday’s win over Jacksonville when his leg got rolled up by defenders while he was blocking on a run play. Powell saw more time on the field this year than expected as the Bills’ receiving core has been decimated by injuries. The 25-year-old finished his third season in the league with 14 receptions, on 25 targets, for 142 yards. He had at least one catch in nine games. Powell spent his first two seasons in the NFL on special teams, mainly as a return specialist.

Brown said that the Bills promoted wide receiver Dezmin Lewis and defensive tackle DeAndre Coleman from their practice squad to replace Bryant and Powell on the active roster.

The expectations were high for Lewis coming into his second season after strong performances at OTAs and minicamp. However, the 23-year-old dropped several passes during training camp, and finished with just three receptions for 45 yards during the preseason. He had spent the entire season on the Bills’ practice squad.

Lewis, the Bills’ seventh-round pick in 2015, appeared in one game last season after being a late season call-up. The six-foot-four receiver is expected to help mainly on special teams though Brown believes the team could use him on offense in the red zone due to his size.

If Lewis does not impress this go-around, it may be his last chance with the team.

Coleman also has been on the Bills’ practice squad all season. The 25-year-old has been with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins after going undrafted out of California in 2014. Coleman, a six-foot-five, 341-pound space eater, has four tackles in six career games all coming with the Dolphins.

Buffalo (6-5) will take its two-game winning streak into Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders (9-2). The Raiders have won five straight games.

Those four roster transactions were not the only moves the Bills made yesterday.

Bills sign Logan Thomas off Detroit Lions practice squad

In a surprising move, the Bills signed tight end Logan Thomas off the Lions practice squad. The Lions had just picked up the former quarterback off waivers from the New York Giants on November 28 per Lions insider Tim Twentyman.

That is right, Thomas is a former quarterback. The 25-year-old was selected by the Arizona Cardinals out of Virginia Tech where he served as Tyrod Taylor’s backup in 2010. Thomas appeared in two games in 2014 for the Cardinals, completing 1-of-9 passes for 81 yards and one touchdown. He also spent time with the Dolphins in 2015 before joining the Giants this summer.

According to Mike Rodak of ESPN, the Bills must keep Thomas on their 53-man roster for the next three weeks because he was signed off another team’s practice squad. Thomas will be inactive versus the Raiders as the team sees him as a project/developmental player.

Unless the Bills make another move, Thomas will take the place of offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson on the active roster.

Henderson suspended 10 games

For the second time this season, the NFL has suspended Henderson for 10 games. The ban is for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Henderson’s suspension begins immediately. He will be eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason practices and games.

Henderson’s agent told the Associated Press that the suspension stems from his client using marijuana to relieve the effects of Crohn’s disease. The Buffalo News said that Henderson may pursue legal action against the NFL.

Henderson has appeared in one game this year. The third-year pro has started 26 of the 27 games that he has appeared in.

Wednesday’s Injury List

The Bills have listed 16 players on this week’s injury report. Seven of the players listed on the injury report did not participate in practice on Wednesday. Rodak tweeted that coach Rex Ryan said “a whole slew” of players are in jeopardy of not playing Sunday. He says players who did not practice — outside of Charles Clay (knee) — have highest concern of not playing.

Wide receivers Robert Woods (knee), Sammy Watkins (foot), and Percy Harvin (illness); outside linebacker Lorenzo Alexander (ankle); offensive tackle Cordy Glenn (back); cornerback Ronald Darby (concussion protocol); and safety James Ihedigbo (ankle) are the players who sat out of practice. Woods and Harvin did not play against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

Guards Richie Incognito (neck) and John Miller (shoulder), running back Mike Gillislee (hamstring), linebacker Preston Brown (wrist), safety Sergio Brown (hamstring), and Dareus (abdominal) were limited in practice.

[Featured Image by Frank Victore/AP Images]

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