Wasted season continues for Buffalo Bills' star free-agent WR

After missing the Bills' Week 13 win over the Steelers, it looks like Joshua Palmer may not return to the lineup anytime soon.

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

Joshua Palmer’s disappointing first season with the Buffalo Bills has taken another negative turn.

While speaking to reporters on Wednesday from One Bills Drive, Sean McDermott provided an update on Palmer’s ankle and knee injuries, which kept him out of this past Sunday’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. And it was not encouraging news.

After his ailments sustained during a Week 6 meeting with the Atlanta Falcons forced him to miss three games, Palmer returned in Week 11 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and also played the following week, against the Houston Texans. But after his practice time was affected by the injuries this past week, he was sidelined against the Steelers and it now appears he may be unlikely to return anytime soon.

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Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott stops to talk with Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer while the team stretches before Bills Training Camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford on Aug.6, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I don't know if it's been a setback as much as just overall, he’s not in the best place right now, just in terms of his body and the injuries he was still dealing with,” said the Bills head coach. “He's still dealing with them. So, you know, we'll just have to see how it goes through the week here.

“But we've had good communication around his situation and with him specifically. And you know, the key is that he continues to get himself healthy here one day at a time.”

The Bills are remaining patient with Palmer’s injuries, which forced him to miss Wednesday's walk-thru practice. But patience is starting to run out amongst the fan base, which was expecting the five-year pro to provide a significant boost for Buffalo’s wide receiver corps this season. During his first season with the Bills, Palmer has recorded just 18 receptions for 272 yards while being held without a touchdown in eight games played.

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Bills quarterback Josh Allen goes over routes with wide receiver Joshua Palmer during the second day of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University Thursday, July 24, 2025 in Pittsford. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While it’s tough to predict injuries when deciding on free-agent signings, even when he has been on the field this season, Palmer has been a relative non-factor. He has recorded more than two receptions in a game just once during the 2025 campaign, and that was in Week 1 when the Bills attempted a season-high 46 pass attempts.

This offseason, Palmer signed a three-year, $29 million free-agent deal that includes $15 million guaranteed. He carries a cap hit of $11.85 million in 2026, with a dead cap charge of $11.24 million, per Over the Cap. Thus, while Palmer’s first season with the Bills has been a mighty disappointment, he isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

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