With freezing temps predicted, Bills PR/KR Brandon Codrington questionable for Sunday’s Wild Card game

The Bills special teamer is dealing with a hamstring injury that cold weather is not going to favor.

Good news for the Buffalo Bills on Friday. Before the team’s practice, head coach Sean McDermott announced that Brandon Codrington would be listed as questionable for Sunday’s Wild Card game against the Denver Broncos. The Buffalo coach also said that Ja’Marcus Ingram would be back at practice today.

Codrington’s questionable status is actually a good sign as the Bills have a history of being conservative with hamstring injuries. The rookie punt/kick returner injured his hamstring on his final punt return of the regular season last week. He’s progressed from not participating to being limited – working only with special teams – in this week’s practices. With temperatures predicted to be at or below the freezing mark on Sunday, keeping a not-completely-healthy muscle warm and limiting further damage could be what the team considers when making the final decision on game day.

The Bills have been working on contingency plans should Codrington be downgraded to out on Sunday. In Thursday’s practice, wide receiver Khalil Shakir and practice squad receiver K.J. Hamler were seen taking punt returns. Hamler was joined by running backs Ty Johnson and Ray Davis, both of whom had some special teams’ assignments during the regular season, for kick return reps on Thursday. It’s important to note that practice squad elevations reset in the post season, and that, while teams are still limited to just two elevations per game, there is no limit on the number of times a player can be elevated from the practice squad to the active roster over the course of the post season. Hamler, who spent the first three years of his career as a member of the Denver Broncos, was only activated once during the regular season (Week 11 vs. the Kansas City Chiefs).

Ingram missed two days with what was listed as “personal” reasons. Today, McDermott announced that Ingram was a new father.

Ingram, a second-year player out of the University at Buffalo, has been active for all seventeen of the Bills’ regular season games. While he is listed as a depth piece of Buffalo’s defensive secondary, his versatility and availability make him a key part of the Bills weekly plans. Ingram has 24 combined tackles, 15 of them solo, this season. He also has two interceptions – one of which he returned for a touchdown – along with a sack and four passes defensed. Knowing he will be available if called on Sunday, is an insurance policy that Buffalo defensive coordinator Bobby Babich more comfortable.