ORCHARD PARK — Eight players did not participate in Wednesday’s walk-through as the Buffalo Bills look to get healthy in a hurry.
Cornerback Christian Benford (knee), linebacker Terrel Bernard (ankle), receiver Gabe Davis (knee), punter Sam Martin (hamstring), safety Taylor Rapp (calf) and linebacker Baylon Spector (back) missed practice with injuries, while defensive ends Leonard Floyd and Von Miller were given their usual veteran rest days.
Linebacker Tyrel Dodson (shoulder), cornerback Rasul Douglas (knee) and cornerback Taron Johnson (concussion) were limited, while Bills coach Sean McDermott maintained all of the injured players were day-to-day.
Thursday’s full practice will bring more clarity as to who will be available to play against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional playoff game Sunday and that includes Bernard, who recorded a team-high 143 tackles to go along with 6 ½ sacks and three interceptions. Bernard’s injury appeared devastating when he was taken off the field on a cart after making a tackle against the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday.
“I think there’s hope,” McDermott said. “He’s in meetings this morning and. It looked, in the way he was carted off, I’m thankful that it could have been way worse. So we’ll just take it one day at a time.”
As precaution for Martin’s status, the Bills signed punter Matt Haack to the practice squad. Haack played with the Bills in 2021, but lost the starting job last year to Matt Araiza, who was released before training camp following rape allegations that have since been dropped.
Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnandi (tricep) was the lone player not to practice Wednesday.