Buffalo Bills have injured Jordan Poyer's ready-made replacement waiting in wings

Another player added to a growing list of injuries.

Jordan Poyer was lost during the Buffalo Bills’ Wild-Card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars due to a reaggravation of a hamstring injury that forced him to miss a couple of games down the stretch of the regular season. And now, he may be facing another absence at the worst possible time.

That would leave the Bills scrambling to find a replacement for their Divisional Round matchup with the Denver Broncos on Saturday. But the good news is, they have a player who could be ready to plug and play immediately.

Former starter

Damar Hamlin’s 21-day window to return from Injured Reserve was opened by the team leading into this past week’s game against the Jaguars, but was not moved to the active roster in time for the postseason tilt. Hamlin has been recovering since sustaining a pectoral injury in Week 5and if he is healthy enough to return to action, he could fit right in in a pinch on Saturday against the Denver Broncos.

Hamlin has started 27 games over five seasons with the Bills, including 14 starts a year ago. He lost his starting job to second-year pro Cole Bishop at the outset of the 2025 campaign, while Jordan Poyer has stepped in to replace injured starter Taylor Rapp, who has been out for much of the year with a knee injury.

With Poyer and Bishop locking down the back end over the past many weeks, there hasn’t been a need for Hamlin in the team's starting lineup. But with Poyer’s hamstring ailment popping up in Week 16 and again in the opening round of the postseason, Hamlin could be trending toward a return as soon as this week against Denver.

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He may be needed

During this past Sunday’s win over the Jaguars, the Bills used rookie Jordan Hancock to replace Poyer on the fly. But he clearly was not ready for the opportunity, as he was out of position while missing a few opportunities to make plays throughout the afternoon.

Elsewhere on the roster, the Bills also have Cam Lewis, but he may be needed in a more versatile role, as he has been used throughout his time with the Bills. Additionally, Darnell Savage was acquired midseason and has played in two games for the Bills, including a start in Week 18 against the New York Jets. There is a chance Buffalo could opt to use him against the Broncos if Poyer cannot play.

So, while there are options beyond Hamlin, his experience within the Bills’ defensive system stands out, and that is something the team has proven to value over anything else, particularly at the safety position. That could point to Hamlin getting a crack at a comeback.

In five games this season, Hamlin played just 12 defensive snaps, recording one tackle. Last year, he recorded 89 tackles, five passes defensed and two interceptions.

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