Sean McDermott offers worrisome updates on two injured Buffalo Bills players

The Buffalo Bills are the walking wounded.

That much was made clear as Sean McDermott offered a few troubling injury updates while speaking to reporters before the Bills' first open practice out of their Week 7 bye week.

The Bills head coach declared both defensive tackle DaQuan Jones and wide receiver Joshua Palmer as “week-to-week" after both players were held out of Wednesday's practice, placing their status for this Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers in question.

Injuries piling up

Jones sustained his injury in the moments before the team's Week 6 matchup with the Atlanta Falcons, when he "popped his calf," according to McDermott. Palmer went down in the first half of the non-conference tilt when he was tackled awkwardly, leading to an ankle injury.

The two veterans are the latest Bills players to be placed on the mend, with rookie DT T.J. Sanders (knee), rookie cornerback Dorian Strong (neck), DT DeWayne Carter (Achilles), safety Damar Hamlin (pectoral) and kicker Tyler Bass (groin/hip) all remaining on Injured Reserve. In addition, linebackers Matt Milano (pectoral), tight end Dalton Kincaid (oblique), and WR Curtis Samuel (neck/ribs) all missed the Bills' last game against the Falcons and were limited during Wednesday's practice. Linebacker Terrel Bernard (ankle) was also limited, while S Taylor Rapp did not practice with a knee injury.

MORE: Bills' 'key injury' trends toward Week 8 availability for sputtering offense

Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) runs the ball against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) during the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Chance of IR?

McDermott did not rule out IR as a possibility for Jones and Palmer, which is concerning given the state of both the Bills'DT and WR positions.

“We’ll see,” said McDermott. “Don’t know yet.”

Jones has been one of the bright spots for Buffalo's defensive line this season, recording a couple of sacks in five games played. Palmer has been relatively disappointing through the first six games of his Bills career, but appeared to be on his way to a big game before being injured against the Falcons. Prior to his exit, Palmer recorded two receptions for 60 yards, including a 46-yard reception, his longest as a Bill.

What if Jones can’t play?

If Jones is out against the Panthers, expect rookie DT Deone Walker to earn the start in his place. With Jones' unexpected ailment occurring minutes before the game against the Falcons, Walker saw his defensive snap share swell to a whopping 80%. The rookie made the most of his increased opportunity, recording four tackles for loss in the matchup with Atlanta. The Bills also had DT Larry Ogunjobi return from suspension this week and he could factor into the team's rotation up front as soon as this weekend.

MORE: Buffalo Bills add two potential defensive fixes to active roster

What if Palmer can’t play?

If Palmer cannot play against Carolina, that may result in WR Tyrell Shavers seeing more time along the outside. Shavers has had a quiet year thus far, recording five receptions for 51 yards through six games. He may be provided more room to shine this week vs. the Panthers, a team that is allowing opponents to average 3.6 yards of target separation this season. That is eighth-worst in the NFL.

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