Buffalo Bills place kicker Tyler Bass gets ready to kick a field goal during the first half of the Buffalo Bills wild card game against the Denver Broncos at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 12, 2025. Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ravens Could Catch Break From Bills Injury

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Baltimore Ravens are dealing with a couple of notable injuries ahead of Sunday's regular season opener, with star tight end Isaiah Likely and fullback Patrick Ricard both not practicing and unlikely to play.

When looking at their opponent's injury report, though, maybe the Ravens could consider themselves lucky.

The Buffalo Bills are dealing with a host of injuries ahead of Sunday night's game, including some to pretty notable players. One of those players sticks out among the rest, though, and that's kicker Tyler Bass, who's currently dealing with a left-hip/groin injury.

Bass, 28, was a limited participant on Wednesday but did not participate on Thursday or Friday. Bills head coach Sean McDermott said it's still "too early" to rule him out, but with the way things are trending, it seems very plausible that he won't be available on Sunday.

Bass isn't a star per se, but he has been a pretty reliable kicker over his five years in Buffalo. Last year, he made 24 of his 29 field goals, including all four from 50+ yards out, and 59 of 64 PATs. If he can't go, the Bills would be down a very important weapon.

So then, what's the Bills' plan in that scenario? They answered that question on Thursday night when they signed Matt Prater, the second-oldest active player in the league behind only Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, to their practice squad.

Prater, 41, played four games last season with the Arizona Cardinals and made all six field goals, including a 57-yarder, but unfortunately suffered a torn meniscus early in the year. Despite that, the 19th-year pro is still kicking, and could very well be called upon Sunday.

Prater holds the record for most 50+-yard field goals in NFL history with 81, including a 64-yarder with the Denver Broncos in 2013 that was a league record at the time. Former Ravens kicker Justin Tucker would later break the record with a 66-yarder in 2021.

Speaking of the Ravens, they're also breaking in a new kicker in this game, with rookie Tyler Loop taking over for Tucker after sexual misconduct allegations emerged against the latter. The sixth-round pick from Arizona had an impressive showing in the preseason, and he's ready for his regular season debut.

"[This is the] first regular season game, but it really felt like the Colts [game] was the same, because we played football on a 120-yard field, 53-and-1/3 [yards] wide, [the same size] uprights," Loop told reporters Thursday. "That's the same thing that's going to be [there] on Sunday. And having that mindset of, I've been kicking a football on a big stage since college, and now I'm in the NFL. It's fun. It's the same game, and it's the same operation. It's just really exciting."

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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