The Buffalo Bills barely had time to savor their win over the rival New England Patriots before they suffered a big loss to their roster.
The team announced on Monday that veteran kicker Matt Prater suffered a right quad injury and would miss next week’s game against the Cleveland Browns. The Bills had already been shorthanded after regular kicker Tyler Bass was placed on injured reserve, and now the team will be forced to find another replacement kicker on short notice.
Sean McDermott Reveals Matt Prater’s Injury
Bills head coach Sean McDermott told reporters on Monday that Prater is considered “week to week” with the quad injury.
The former Denver Broncos kicker joined the team just days before their season opener against the Baltimore Ravens after Bass was ruled out with an injury, and Prater delivered by kicking the game-winning field goal as time expired, capping a 15-point comeback with less than five minutes in the game.
McDermott said Prater’s injury now leaves the team in a difficult position.
“Not ideal. Matt’s done a really good job having that consistency during the year. Obviously, T-Bass had the surgery, so he’s not an option either. So we’ll figure that piece out,” McDermott said.
The Bills could have a few options in free agency, including John Parker Romo. They could also look to Greg Joseph, who joined Prater at a tryout before the season started. As SI.com’s Alex Brasky noted, Joseph has some recent success in the NFL.
“Joseph, who remains a free agent, is 31 years old and kicked for the New York Giants, Washington Commanders and New York Jets last season,” Brasky wrote. “During the 2024 campaign, he made 16 of 20 field goal attempts (80%) and 11 of 11 extra points.”
The Bills also used backup running back Ray Davis as an emergency kicker, though he would likely come into play only if their replacement kicker is injured as well.
More Injuries Updates for the Bills
The Bills have more injuries to deal with, including defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who was knocked out of Sunday’s win over the Patriots. McDermott announced that Phillips would also miss next week’s game against the Browns.
While the Bills will need to search free agency for a new kicker, they did get some good news on other recent injuries. As team reporter Chris Brown noted, a pair of defensive stars and a versatile offensive player are all trending in the right direction.
“CB Christian Benford (toe) and LB Terrel Bernard (elbow) are considered to be “improving” going into the new week,” Brown wrote. “WR/KR Mecole Hardman ‘could’ have his 21-day practice window opened up this week. Hardman has been on injured reserve since Nov. 20.”
Sunday’s win opened a door for the Bills to make a bid for the division crown. If the Bills can win one more game than the Patriots over the final three weeks, and one of New England’s losses comes against either the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins, then the Bills would surpass them and win their sixth straight division title.
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