The Buffalo Bills added Joey Bosa with the hope that he can move past his recent spate of injuries and return to his Pro Bowl form, but he was hit with a big setback at the start of practice this week.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Bosa suffered a calf injury that will keep him out for several weeks, causing him to miss some critical practices as he learns Buffalo’s defense. McDermott did give a bit of optimism on Bosa’s return, but the latest injury could revive past worries about his ability to stay on the field.
Joey Bosa Out ‘The Forseeable Springtime’
McDermott told reporters on May 27 that Bosa will miss this current round of OTAs and mandatory minicamp, with a return likely before the team kicks off training camp in the summer.
“He’ll be out for more than likely the foreseeable springtime at least and then we’ll get into training camp,” McDermott told reporters, via NFL.com. “He should be able to go by training camp. Understand it just happened late last week, so we’re still in kind of the exploratory phase of what that’s going to mean. Joey was off to a good start before that, so it’s unfortunate to see him go down. But it offers someone else an opportunity to step up and get some quality reps for us as we move forward.”
The Bills signed Bosa to a one-year, $12.6 million contract this offseason, getting the former Pro Bowler at a lower price due in part to his past struggles with injuries. Bosa hasn’t played a full season since 2019, missing a total of 23 regular-season games over the last three years.
McDermott admitted that it was worrisome that Bosa already suffered an injury early into his tenure with the Bills.
“Listen, it is concerning,” McDermott said. “Durability, availability are key ties to our roster. We basically look ahead in terms of what he’s doing now, which is getting himself the treatment that he needs and he’s working hard at it. That’s all he can control right now. We get him back when we get him back, probably at this point training camp. We’re gonna do the best job we can — and I know he is as well — and just take it one day at a time.”
Bills Hit With Setbacks at Defensive Line
Bosa’s injury is the latest unexpected setback for the Bills among new additions to the defensive line. The team learned that former Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Michael Hoecht and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, both added early in free agency, had each been hit with a six-game suspension by the NFL for violating the league’s rules against performance-enhancing drugs.
The Bills also cut ties with veteran edge rusher Von Miller, who was slowed after suffering a torn ACL in 2022.
The team had some new additions as well, with The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner and Scott Dochterman praising the team for adding edge rusher Landon Jackson with the No. 72 overall pick in the NFL draft.
“One of the biggest edge prospects in the class, Jackson can play a bit high and stiff, but he’s an outstanding athlete,” the pair noted. “A very versatile defensive lineman whose production doesn’t quite match his traits, Jackson is nonetheless an exciting prospect who could be a fixture in Buffalo for a while.”
