Bills final injury report raises more questions than answers with little time left before divisional matchup vs. Broncos

The Buffalo Bills are already down safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring) and cornerback Maxwell Hairston (ankle), with head coach Sean McDermott ruling them out of the Broncos game ahead of practice on Thursday. Two key defenders won't be able to suit up in the pivotal showdown.

The final injury report was more of the same for the week, leaving fans with more questions than answers heading into a must-win game for Buffalo.

While Poyer and Hairston have been ruled out, there are a lot of "questionable" tags heading into Saturday. Linebacker Terrel Bernard, safety Damar Hamlin, running back Ty Johnson, defensive tackle Ed Oliver, and wide receiver Curtis Samuel will need to wait until around gametime to see if any or all will be able to suit up on Saturday.

Without further ado, let's dive into the final injury report heading into the Denver game.

Buffalo Bills’ Thursday injury report

Observations

The two biggest names that fans have been keeping an eye on all week are Oliver and Samuel. Both players have just had their 21-day practice window opened after coming off injured reserve. It'll be a tall task for Oliver to get into the game, but it looks as though Samuel could be a full-go after putting in three straight days of full practice. It comes at the perfect time after injuries derailed the wide receiver room in the losses of Gabe Davis, Tyrell Shavers, and Josh Palmer over the course of a week. All three players sustained season-ending injuries, leaving quarterback Josh Allen shorthanded.

Another key weapon to keep an eye out for over the next 48 hours is that of running back Ty Johnson. Johnson is regarded as the best third-down back in football, and yet another weapon at Allen's disposal. He was inactive against the Jaguars and has a chance to suit up against Denver after putting in a limited practice on Thursday. It's the same progression he had last week, though.

Overall, just a lot of names on the injury report this late in the season. Buffalo has been snakebitten by injuries, and there are no signs of it slowing down. Heck, just look at Allen and his injuries, who popped up on the injury report with three separate ailments. One thing is for certain: this team is banged up.

Ultimately, Buffalo will enter Saturday facing the same reality it has all week: uncertainty. With multiple starters carrying questionable tags and little clarity until around kickoff, the Bills may once again be forced into a next-man-up approach at the worst possible time.

This story was originally published by A to Z Sports on Jan 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.