Three key Buffalo Bills players ruled out for Week 17 vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Two key defenders and a special teams contributor will not play for the Bills this week.

Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer reacts to a tackle during first half action at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Dec. 7, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills are once again depleted as they head into a Week 17 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Buffalo had a few players out against the Cleveland Browns this past week and will be without a few key players against the Eagles on Sunday.

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Oct 26, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (52) celebrates after a play during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Missing in action

Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, kicker Matt Prater and safety Jordan Poyer will all be sidelined for the non-conference tilt, according to Sean McDermott, who spoke on WGR 550’s Extra Point Show on Friday morning.

Phillips and Prater will each miss their second straight game due to ankle and quad injuries, respectively. This past week against the Browns, Phillips was replaced by T.J. Sanders in the defensive tackle rotation after the rookie had previously been playing out of position on the edge the past several weeks. The hole left by Prater’s absence was filled by Michael Badgley, whom the team signed as a free agent earlier last week.

Poyer exited the game late against Cleveland due to a hamstring ailment and will now miss his first game of the season due to injury. Potential replacements for the veteran defender include rookie Jordan Hancock and Cam Lewis.

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Buffalo Bills place kicker Matt Prater walks over to the bench during first half action against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Nov. 2, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Big loss

Poyer has made quite the impact on the Bills’ defense since arriving in the starting lineup in Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers. He is second on the team in tackles (70) and has also recorded three passes defensed and an interception in just nine starts this season.

While his statistics are impressive, perhaps the most significant difference Poyer has made during his time on the field this season is how he has helped second-year pro Cole Bishop come into his own as his counterpart at the back end of the Bills’ secondary. Bishop is first on the team in tackles (83) and interceptions (3), while he’s second on the team in passes defensed (7).

Bishop’s leap in production has coincided with Poyer’s presence alongside him, and losing that in and of itself will be significant for the Bills this week.

Along with the three players ruled out of the Bills’ Week 17 matchup, McDermott also revealed that quarterback Josh Allen’s soreness stemming from a foot injury sustained against the Browns has subsided and he is expected to be at 100% against the Eagles.

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