Terrel Bernard and Other Buffalo Bills Injury Updates from Tuesday's Practice

The Buffalo Bills were back on the practice field on Tuesday and head coach Joe Brady game some injury updates before the session.

One of the notable additions to the training camp injury report on Monday was linebackter Terrel Bernard, which obviously raised concern initially.

Brady confirmed Bernard's absence was injury-related, but he added that he's not concerned for the veteran linebacker and Bernard should be fine for Week 1.

"No," Brady said when asked if there's any concern for Bernard's injury. "(Terrel Bernard) is going to be good to."

Given his injury issues the past few campaigns, any time "Terrel Bernard" and "injury" are in the same sentence, it raises some concern, but it looks like he'll be fine this time around.

Michael Hoecht, who has been slowly but surely ramping up in his return from a torn Achilles, is a candidate to play on Thursday, something he and Brady will talk about after practice.

"He's gonna take a lot of reps (on Tuesday) and then we'll talk after practice," Brady said. "But I know he's a guy that would love to get out there and get on the field and be able to get some contact and hit on Thursday. And it's a matter of, is that the best thing for him as we kind of come away from today."

Who's not practicing on Tuesday?

Bills defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson. — Bills defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson does a warm up drill before practice at Buffalo Bills Training Camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford on Aug. 6, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Here's the list of players who won't be taking part in practice on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Alaina Getzenberg.

OL Sedrick Van Pran-Granger
C Connor McGovern
OL Jude Bowry
RB Ty Johnson
WR Keon Coleman
WR Khalil Shakir
DT Ed Oliver
OLB Javon Solomon
ILB Terrel Bernard
ILB Joe Andreessen
S C.J. Gardner-Johnson

The new addition there is inside linebacker Joe Andreessen, who was not listed among the absent players on Monday.

Brady addressed the Bills' injuries along the offensive line and said he didn't envision any of them impacting the team's 53-man roster decisions, which will come down on Aug. 30.

When asked about the concern about the lack of practice time Gardner-Johnson and Cole Bishop have gotten together, which defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard expressed at least some concern about on Monday, Brady said he wouldn't use concern as the word to describe how he views things.

Jan 4, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills linebacker Joe Andreessen (44) leaves the field after a game against the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I don't know if concern is the right word," he said. "But, yeah, the reality is you're in a new defense and between Maxwell (Hairston), Cole, C.J., you haven't had some of your starters in there on a consistent basis, but C.J's played a lot of football."

"It's really just the communication," he added. "We know they all can play the techniques and whatnot... are they all on the same page speaking, both verbally and non-verbally."

As far as running back Ty Johnson is concerned, Brady would not commit to him being ready for Week 1, but the Bills head coach is encouraged with the progress he has made thus far.

The Bills are hitting the practice field on Tuesday and will then turn their attention to the preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night.

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