The Buffalo Bills are going into this weekend’s key matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs missing some key players on the defensive line and secondary, and now could be in danger of losing one of their most important linebackers.
The Bills this week placed defensive tackle Ed Oliver on injured reserve, just a week after starting safety Taylor Rapp also headed to IR. They got more bad news this week when linebacker Shaq Thompson took a major step back.
Shaq Thompson Unable to Practice on Thursday
After he was listed as limited for the team’s practice on Wednesday, Thompson was downgraded to a non-participant on Thursday. It was not clear if Thompson’s injury worsened, or if he suffered a new injury at practice.
Thompson was one of the biggest additions to the linebacking corps this offseason, signing with the Bills after spending the first 10 years of his career with the Carolina Panthers. He has emerged as one of the strongest players in the position group and the team’s best coverage linebacker. He has 28 total tackles with 1.0 sacks, three tackles for a loss, two passes defensed, and one forced fumble in six games this season, including two starts.
The Bills already lost Oliver and could be in danger of missing defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, who was the only player other than Thompson listed as a non-participant at Thursday’s practice.
If Thompson is unable to play on Sunday against the Chiefs, the Bills could hand second-year linebacker Joe Andreessen a bigger role.
The now-annual regular-season contest between the Bills and Chiefs carries some extra significance this year, with both clubs trying to climb back to the top of their respective divisions. The Bills fell out of the lead in the AFC East after a loss to the New England Patriots, while the Chiefs are still clawing their way back from an 0-2 start.
Bills Calling in Reinforcements
The Bills brought back a pair of familiar faces to help fill the void left by the injuries, signing defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and safety Jordan Poyer to the active roster from the practice squad. Both Phillips and Poyer had already been elevated several times and now both will play major roles.
The Bills also added some depth to the practice squad, signing 2025 Dallas Cowboys draft pick Tommy Akingbesote. Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network noted that he is seen as a raw prospect with some strong natural traits but also areas of concern.
“Concerns remain about his consistency,” Fowler wrote. “There are flashes of high-level actions and movement, but he will need to refine his technique, particularly in maintaining a lower center of gravity and improving his counters as a rusher. Heâs more of a slasher than an upfield pursuit technician in the ground game, a tough way to live for a man of his size against more powerful and athletic NFL linemen. His motor, however, makes him a strong rotational prospect with the potential to carve out a bigger role in the right system.”
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