The Buffalo Bills take on the Philadelphia Eagles in just under two days’ time — a Week 17 game many have predicted as the matchup for Super Bowl LX. The Eagles have locked up the NFC East, while the Bills still
have a sliver of hope in claiming the AFC East a sixth-consecutive time.
With that in mind, one might expect each team will manage their game-day rosters in Week 17 based on playoff scenarios. What does that mean for One Bills Drive? Let’s take a closer look, after learning which players have been ruled out, and those who remain questionable for Sunday’s game at Highmark Stadium.
Buffalo Bills rule 4 players out for Week 17
Head coach Sean McDermott informed reporters on Friday, December 26 that safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring), kicker Matt Prater (quadriceps), plus defensive tackles Jordan Phillips (ankle) and DaQuan Jones (calf) have all been ruled out for Week 17 against the Eagles. Poyer picked up his injury late in action against the Cleveland Browns in Week 16, while Prater has been sidelined since the start of Week 16 — and ceded responsibilities to free-agent kicker Michael Badgley in the short term.
It remains to be seen how quickly Poyer can return to action from the hamstring injury, but anyone looking to count out the football warrior need only recall the lengths he took to get to and play a road game against the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s possible that Poyer is given rest to end the regular season, which hopefully allows him to return to the field playing his pivotal role alongside safety Cole Bishop in 2025.
Bills Mafia continues watching reports for positive news about Prater, but the elder statesman still needs some time to recover from a quadriceps injury to his kicking leg. After incumbent kicker Tyler Bass was lost for the entire 2025 campaign due to season-ending left hip/groin injuries that necessitated surgery, Prater stepped in and immediately solidified the position. Prater could return in time for the playoffs, depending on the severity of his quad injury.
Both Phillips and Jones have been managing injuries for a number of weeks, with Jones’ injury first occurring during pregame warmups in Week 9. As shared by Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, McDermott explained that Jones has since “suffered ‘a little bit’ of a setback on the calf injury,” adding that “it’s around the same it’s been or a little worse and they’re figuring it out.” It’s likely that One Bills Drive wants to proceed cautiously with the pair of defensive tackles, given the playoffs are just around the corner.
Bills list 2 TEs as questionable for Week 17 vs. Eagles
While the Bills likely have enough capable reinforcements to offset the above losses, at least in a fair amount of respects, it’s at tight end where things continue to confound. Ahead of Sunday’s game, both Dalton Kincaid (knee) and Dawson Knox (knee) are listed as questionable versus the Eagles.
First and foremost, one must understand of Kincaid that Buffalo will continue managing his health with extra care, likely in an effort to avoid any major setbacks. Having said as much, it does call to question how much managing can be done on game days, where adrenaline and physical exertion cannot be replicated in-week for more realistic management scenarios. What that meant in Week 16 was a fairly reduced role on offense, and a dip in Kincaid’s snap load. Expect the same to be true in Week 17 (and beyond) if Buffalo’s X-factor and field stretcher is able to suit up.
Dawson Knox joins Kincaid in the knee injury department, and it remains to be seen how that will affect him in Week 17. If he’s able to play, do the Bills limit his snap counts similarly to Kincaid? I’d expect Knox to play for several reasons.
Of note are the incentives in Knox’s contract that he’ll want an opportunity to try hitting during these last two regular-season games. Knox needs just one additional catch, 37 more receiving yards, and one touchdown to activate three separate $100,000 incentive payments. With Kincaid’s continued injury status, Knox could actually earn even more money if he hits a few extra statistical milestones. If Knox scores six touchdowns total, he earns an extra $150,000; for eight touchdowns Knox gains yet another $150,000. While hitting 50 total receptions seems unlikely this season, he’s just 11 away from 40 receptions — a mark that would net him another $100,000.
The other reason Knox is likely to suit up is due to the team’s reliance on the tight end room, where they often employ 13 personnel by adding in rookie tight end Jackson Hawes as the third tight end on a given play. Without Kincaid or Knox, that would leave Hawes as the team’s top tight end. The Bills also have rookie tight end Keleki Latu on the practice squad, and fullback Reggie Gilliam has moonlighted at the position in the past.
Without one of Kincaid or Knox, Buffalo is at a schematic disadvantage in 2025. With both Kincaid and Knox sidelined, it’s likely the Bills’ offense struggles to operate as intended.
Bills QB Josh Allen, six others full participants during Friday practice
As expected, Josh Allen was listed as a full participant on Friday. Allen injured his right foot during an ill-advised scramble drill that nearly allowed defensive end Myles Garrett to set a new single-season NFL sack record. Though Allen avoided becoming highlight-reel material for the wrong reason, the hope is that his injury really isn’t of note beyond the lead-up to Sunday’s game.
McDermott reported that “the soreness has dissipated” for Allen, and that “Allen should play without any limitations” on Sunday, as shared by Joe Buscaglia.
Also practicing in full on Friday were safety Cole Bishop (ribs), defensive end Joey Bosa (hamstring), running back Ray Davis (knee), cornerback Taron Johnson (quadriceps), defensive back Cam Lewis, and linebacker Shaq Thompson.
As with Allen, each of Bosa, Johnson, Lewis, and Thompson improved from a limited status on Thursday, to full on Friday. What the team does or doesn’t do in terms of practice-squad call-ups by 4 p.m. EST on Saturday, December 27 could tell us a lot about Sunday’s starting personnel and beyond in Week 17. The Bills and Eagles clash at 4:25 p.m. EST on Sunday, December 28.
