Multiple rookies have bye week of healing upcoming & Codrington continues quality play
One of the most anticipated games of the year has come and gone with the Buffalo Bills taking down the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs 30-21 at home. Things remained close for a large majority of the game until the Bills finally cashed in late on a 26-yard rushing touchdown by quarterback Josh Allen to put the Bills ahead two scores. A second interception by Patrick Mahomes sealed the game.
Buffalo’s rookies are currently banged up. The hope is that the majority of the class is healed up after their Week 12 bye week. But the impact from the 2024 NFL Draft class has been hampered in large part due to injury.
Let’s dive into who played and how well they fared in a memorable home win over the Chiefs.
WR Keon Coleman
Coleman was ruled out very early in the week for a second straight week with his wrist injury. He wasn’t placed on Injured Reserve (IR), which leaves some potential optimism for his return after the bye. We’ll hope to see him back as the receiving corps as a whole is starting to churn at a much higher level with the contribution uptick of Curtis Samuel and return of Amari Cooper.
S Cole Bishop
Bishop didn’t log a defensive snap in Week 11, playing exclusively on special teams. Taylor Rapp looked like he could have left the game briefly, but he never ended up missing a defensive snap. Bishop did not have a tackle in this game either.
DT DeWayne Carter
Carter is still on IR at this time, but he has now fulfilled the required amount of games (four). as part of that list. Carter will also get another week of rest and a full week of game prep to see if he can go after his wrist surgery.
RB Ray Davis
Davis was ineffective on Sunday evening with just 11 yards on five carries. The entire Bills backfield outside of quarterback Josh Allen was relatively lackluster and nonexistent as a whole. He only played 15 snaps in the game while running back Ty Johnson was used as the safety blanket and pass protector as the game accelerated into a passing script with the lack of effective ground game. Davis has had plenty of moments as a rookie in 2024, but the last couple of weeks have been relatively quiet in comparison.
IOL Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
Van Pran-Granger steps out on the field goal unit for the Bills. He did not register a snap offensively, but he did remain active as has been the case all season.
LB Edefuan Ulofoshio
Ulofoshio was inactive again this past Sunday. Joe Andreessen has consistently been chosen as a game-day active over him on a week-to-week basis.
EDGE Javon Solomon
Solomon played a bunch of special teams Sunday evening, but he did not register a defensive snap. This was the first active game in which Solomon didn’t rep with the defense at all.
OL Tylan Grable
Grable remains on IR after core muscle surgery earlier this year. He’s been out some time and is eligible at any time to return. We will see if there are any new updates on his status after the bye. Time is ticking on a potential return for one of the Bills’ top options at swing tackle.
CB/Returner Daequan Hardy
Hardy remains on the practice squad as he has all season. The player who was able to secure the returner job over him is playing at a high level currently.
OL Travis Clayton
Clayton is out for the season with a shoulder injury that required surgery. He was highly unlikely to ever be active this year, but not being able to take reps hurts any chance of development for the International Pathway seventh-round pick.
LB Joe Andreessen
The local linebacker played the most special teams snaps of anyone on the roster Sunday evening with 17. He did not register a stat in the game.
CB/Returner Brandon Codrington
This was the most explosive game of the year as a returner for Codrington in a big moment. He had a 25-yard punt return midway through the second quarter to set the Bills up at the Kansas City 41-yard line. Unfortunately, that drive ended in a Josh Allen interception on fourth down — nullifying a great return on a low hang-time punt from former Bills draft pick Matt Araiza.
Codrington had a total of 56 yards of punt returns on just four total returns. He also had one kick return of 23 yards. Overall, Codrington continues to find hidden yards for this team and he cleanly fielded both kicks and punts on Sunday evening to give the Bills the best chance to win.