Bills fill holes by calling up two seasoned veterans for Week 8 road game

The Buffalo Bills used their two practice squad elevations to address positions of need on defense for Sunday's game in Carolina

Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) is tackled by Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer (21) in the 2024 AFC divisional round | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills are undermanned at two defensive positions heading into their October 26 road game against the Carolina Panthers, and they are calling on two Week 8 practice squad elevations to fill the holes.

The Bills officially designated safety Jordan Poyer and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips as gameday call-ups.

With Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin on Injured Reserve, 2024 second-round draft pick Cole Bishop is the lone true safety on Buffalo's 53-man active roster. While utility man Cam Lewis and fifth-round rookie Jordan Hancock are capable of taking reps at safety, it seems set up for Poyer to make his first start in a Bills' uniform since 2023.

It's the second straight game for Poyer as a practice squad elevation. He spelled Rapp during the Week 6 loss to Atlanta, totaling 18 defensive snaps. The 34-year-old was credited with one tackle.

The Bills were set to finally have four healthy defensive tackles on the roster with Larry Ogunjobi coming back from suspension, but starter DaQuan Jones "popped a calf" in Week 6 pregame warmups. As a result, Jones is out for Sunday's road test in Charlotte.

MORE: Bills' rookie CB Maxwell Hairston set to make NFL debut in Week 8

Phillips joins Ogunjobi, Ed Oliver and rookie Deone Walker in the four-man DT rotation for Week 8. The elevation brings Phillips to the three-game individual limit, meaning the Bills would have to sign him to the active roster should they want to deploy him again after Sunday.

Buffalo Bills Jordan Phillips tries to grab unsuccessfully New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler who was running with the ball in Orchard Park on Sept. 28, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 33-year-old Phillips has three tackles over 43 combined snaps against the Saints and Falcons.

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Phillips and Poyer have proven valuable since rejoining the Bills in practice squad roles. For the former, it's his fourth different stint with the organization. On the other hand, Poyer was a staple on Buffalo's defense for seven straight seasons. He started 107 games before becoming a salary cap casualty after the 2023 campaign.

The Bills visit Carolina for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday. Buffalo lost back-to-back games heading into its bye week while the Panthers have won three in a row.

Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer (21) makes the tackle on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) who scramble late in the game. | Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

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