Bills notebook: Josh Allen could be without both starting tackles in Pittsburgh
Bills right tackle Spencer Brown's right shoulder was a long shot to be available to practice Wednesday, but left tackle Dion Dawkins' absence was a surprise since he finished the Bills' 23-19 loss in Houston.
Sacked eight times last Thursday, Josh Allen may step onto the grass in Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium with a protective padding on his right elbow and without his two starting offensive tackles.
Neither left tackle Dion Dawkins nor right tackle Spencer Brown were available to practice Wednesday as the Bills (7-4) prepared to face the Steelers (6-5) on Sunday at 4:25 p.m.
Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins has not missed a game due to injury since 2022.
Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Brown injured his right shoulder during the third quarter of the Bills' 23-19 loss to the Texans, and he struggled to block their pass rushers while playing through the injury. The team's medical staff finally pulled Brown before Buffalo's final offensive drive of the game.
Dawkins' absence Wednesday was somewhat of a surprise. The four-time Pro Bowl selection was evaluated for a concussion in Houston and cleared to return to the game, but Dawkins entered the NFL's concussion protocol Friday because he experienced symptoms.
"Well, you’ve got to be smart with it, right?" McDermott said of the offensive-tackle injuries. "In every game there’s a different challenge. This week, it’s a challenge that Pittsburgh’s defense presents. They’re well-coached. So we’ve got to make sure that we’re going through in the right progression without giving away things of, hey, let’s make sure we’re dotting the I’s, crossing the T’s in these critical areas."
Brown and Dawkins aren't the only players who are uncertain for Sunday. Tight end Dalton Kincaid (hamstring), wide receiver Curtis Samuel (elbow/neck), defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (illness) and linebacker Terrel Bernard (elbow) were unable to practice Wednesday. There's a chance for Kincaid to play Sunday, McDermott added, but the tight end has not practiced since he suffered the injury during a loss in Miami on Nov. 9.
Though Allen participated in full Wednesday, the soreness in his right elbow is worth monitoring. He was hit 12 times by the Texans, and his left shoulder went numb on a third-down sack in first quarter. The Steelers' defense ranks 22nd in the NFL in pressure rate, according to Next Gen Stats, but they blitz at the eighth-highest rate.
"It just tries to soften if I get hit or a little blow, that's all it is," Allen said of the padding. "Just got hit in the funny bone on that last drive."
Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady prefers to stick with five-man protections — one of his play calls in Houston featured a seven-man protection and ended with a sack — but it may asking too much of his linemen if Dawkins and Brown are unavailable.
Ryan Van Demark is first in line to start if Dawkins and/or Brown are unable to play. Van Demark, 27, has appeared in 27 games in the past three seasons. He's started three games, including the Bills' win over the Saints in Week 4 this season, and they needed him to play 17 offensive snaps in Houston.
It's uncertain which lineman would start at the other tackle spot, though. Alec Anderson is likely the top candidate. Used by the Bills as the sixth lineman in their jumbo package, Anderson played seven snaps at left tackle last season. The Bills have rookie offensive lineman Chase Lundt, but the sixth-round pick has been a healthy inactive in 10 of 11 games this season. Lundt played both tackle spots during training camp and preseason.
Tylan Grable may be the wild card of the group. The second-year offensive tackle was designated to return from injured reserve, and his 21-day practice window was opened. Grable has not played in a game this season because of a concussion that he suffered during training camp. Grable appeared in four games as a rookie.
"Obviously different faces, different way of communicating with some guys," Allen said of the tackle injuries. "But I have full faith in the guys that will play if the other two can't. And, ultimately, it takes everybody doing their job, stepping up and making plays, and communicating well, and having a good week of practice.
"You can't replace your two starting tackles. It's hard to do that. But again, we trust the guys that are willing to step up and play if need be. And we've got to trust them and roll with them."
In other injury news, rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston was limited at practice Wednesday because he's still working his way through concussion protocol. Hairston did not finish the game in Houston because of a concussion that occurred while he attempted to tackle Texans running back Woody Marks. Defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis (shoulder) and wide receiver Joshua Palmer (ankle) also were limited, while edge rusher Joey Bosa is still dealing with a wrist injury that has forced him to play strictly on the left side of the line the past two weeks.
Cutting loose
Brandin Cooks' decision to join the Bills' receiving corps Tuesday caused Elijah Moore to request and receive his release.Moore, a fifth-year pro, caught just nine passes for 112 yards in nine games this season. He was inactive twice and could not carve out a role in a receiving corps that has struggled to get open for Allen.
Recognition
Allen has a chance to win the NFL’s Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award for a second consecutive season.The NFL revealed Wednesday that Allen is the Bills’ nominee for the award, which the league first handed out in 2014. Eight finalists will be chosen by a panel of four former players: Warrick Dunn, Larry Fitzgerald, Curtis Martin and Leonard Wheeler.
Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack, one of the best to ever play for the University at Buffalo, also is a nominee.
