Signs point to Buffalo Bills ducking 3 Browns' starters due to injuries in Week 16

While the Buffalo Bills deal with several injuries of their own, they may be set to face a significantly depleted Cleveland Browns team on Sunday.

The Browns’ injury report was a mile long to begin the week, with three key starters among a lengthy list of ailing players, many of whom are familiar to the Bills.

Browns cornerback Denzel Ward rests on the sideline during practice, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Berea. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Missing stars

The Browns were down four starters this past week against the Chicago Bears. And while right guard Wyatt Teller (calf), a former fifth-round pick of the Bills, appears as if he is in line to return this week, three others are trending toward missing another game in Week 16.

Cornerback Denzel Ward, tight end David Njoku and right tackle Jack Conklin were all listed as non-participants in each of the Browns’ first two practices of the week. Ward is dealing with a calf injury, while Njoku has a knee injury, and Conklin remains in the concussion protocol.

If absent on Sunday, it would be Ward and Njoku’s second straight game being sidelined, while Conklin could be looking at his third consecutive absence this week against the Bills. Conklin went down during a Week 13 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, while Ward and Njoku were both lost during a Week 14 meeting with the Tennessee Titans. All three, along with Teller, missed this past week’s game against the Bears.

MORE: Buffalo Bills key starter misses Thursday practice

Browns and Bills Thursday injury report.

Teven Jenkins, Joel Bitonio back and limited today. Myles Garrett was full. pic.twitter.com/KUMhIalqN7
— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) December 18, 2025

Impact lost

Conklin has a lengthy history that has developed throughout his six seasons with the Browns. But despite his various injury-caused absences, he has been a mainstay at the top of the team’s depth chart since his arrival in Cleveland in 2020. He has made 57 starts during his time with the Browns.

Njoku has dealt with various injuries throughout his Browns career, which began when the team drafted him in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He has appeared in 118 games over nine seasons, recording 4,062 yards receiving and 34 touchdowns. The former Pro Bowler has tallied 33 receptions for 293 yards and four TDs during the 2025 campaign. Njoku has faced the Bills once previously during his career, recording two receptions for 17 yards in a 31-23 Bills’ win in Week 11 of the 2022 season.

Ward is also a former first-round pick of the Browns, earning Pro Bowl honors on four occasions over his eight seasons with the team. He’s recorded 18 interceptions and 103 passes defensed in 108 games played since being drafted in 2018. Ward has eight passes defensed and one interception for the Browns this season. He has played against the Bills twice throughout his career, finishing the two matchups with a combined seven tackles and two passes defensed.

Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Other injuries

Along with Conklin, Njoku and Ward, three other Browns players did not practice on Thursday. Defensive tackle Michael Hall (illness), linebacker Winston Reid (back) and running back Dylan Sampson (hand) were all listed as non-participants on the team’s injury report.

Starting linebacker Carson Schewsinger (ankle), starting defensive tackle Mason Graham (rib), starting strong safety Grant Delpit and starting left guard Joel Bitonio (knee) joined Teller in being deemed limited on Thursday.

So, while Bills fans have been griping about the various injuries their team has dealt with this season, the Browns are appearing to be pretty banged up themselves entering this week’s contest.

Each team's official injury designations will be released on Friday.

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