Week 18 injuries come with an asterisk.
The Buffalo Bills enter the regular-season finale against the New York Jets with a mix of injured players, others playing through ailments and an added layer of uncertainty over who might be held out with the postseason in mind.
Quarterback Josh Allen continues to manage a foot injury, several veterans remain sidelined or limited, and Buffalo could choose caution over urgency with certain starters depending on how the week unfolds.
Linebacker and defensive captain Terrel Bernard has already been ruled out with a calf injury.
The Bills (11–5) host the New York Jets (3-13) at 4:25 p.m. Sunday.
NFL teams have to submit a report on practice participation on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for a Sunday game. There are three levels of practice participation that can be designated: did not participate, limited participation and full participation.
A game status report is due by 4 p.m. Friday for Sunday games.
Here is the Bills vs. Jets injury report for Week 17:
Josh Allen, QB, foot
Josh Allen’s right foot continued to be bothersome in the Bills’ loss to the Eagles.
Allen had X-rays postgame, which were negative, on the foot in Week 17 and Week 18.
He originally suffered the injury while retreating and falling to the ground on a 22-yard sack against the Browns in Week 17. Allen limped off the field and was evaluated by athletic trainers as he sat on the bench late in the second quarter. He walked to the locker room with trainers just prior to halftime with his right cleat off and received X-rays, which were negative. Allen returned to for the second half and did not miss any plays.
Allen played the entirety versus the Eagles, rushing for two touchdowns in the final 5:11 of the game, but he was sacked five times. He appeared to be favoring the foot and attempted all of his passes from the pocket for the first time in his career.
Allen has started 139 consecutive games, the longest active streak by a quarterback.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said to get off the field he’ll have to «wrestle him.»
«We’ll just take it one day at a time and see how he does here through the week,» McDermott said.
Dalton Kincaid, TE, knee
Dalton Kincaid did not play against the Eagles due to a nagging knee injury. It was the fifth game he’s missed this season.
He was shut out with no catches on one target and agitated the knee injury in the win over the Browns in Week 16.
Jordan Poyer, S, hamstring
Jordan Poyer missed Week 17 with a hamstring injury that occurred while recording a half-sack on Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders late in the fourth quarter. He came off the field for the Bills’ final two defensive snaps of the game.
Matt Prater, K, right quadriceps
Matt Prater has been out the last two games.
The 41-year-old kicker suffered a quadriceps injury in Week 15 and did not practice leading up to Week 16 or Week 17.
Prater has made 18 of 20 field goals and 43 of 46 extra points for 97 points in 14 games. His 90% field goal percentage is tied for 12th in the NFL this season.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Monday that Prater should be available against the Jets.
In his absence, the Bills signed veteran kicker Michael Badgley to the practice squad and elevated him twice. Badgley missed an extra point in each of the two games and was released by the Bills on Monday.
Jordan Phillips, DT, ankle
Jordan Phillips has not played the last two games after suffering an ankle injury against the Patriots in Week 15.
Phillips stayed down on the field after a 9-yard run by TreVeyon Henderson in the second quarter. He was able to get to his feet and walk off under his own power. He went into the blue medical tent and the locker room for further evaluation and did not return. Phillips had a boot on his right foot in the locker room after the game.
The 11-year veteran has nine tackles and one sack in 10 games in 2025.
Terrel Bernard, LB, elbow
Terrel Bernard has already been ruled out against the Jets by Bills head coach Sean McDermott.
Bernard exited with a calf injury against the Eagles on Sunday. He was initially ruled questionable to return but was downgraded to out.
Bernard went into the blue medical tent then exited the tent and talked with athletic trainers.
Bernard was playing in his second game since returning from a three-game absence due to a dislocated elbow.
DaQuan Jones, DT, calf
DaQuan Jones did not play in Week 17 due to a calf injury. The 12-year veteran has 22 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble in 12 games in 2025.
Spencer Brown, OT, eye
Spencer Brown briefly left in the fourth quarter after he was gouged in the eye and hit in the throat by Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter. He missed two offensive plays. Brown said he «took a strong right hook to the eyeball» and did not think it was accidentally.
Landon Jackson, DE, knee
Landon Jackson was injured on his second defensive snap against the Dolphins in Week 10.
The rookie third-round pick came off the left edge on a run by Ollie Gordon and fought off a block before falling backward. He immediately brought his right knee to his chest and grabbed it in pain and trainers evaluated him on the field.
Jackson was ruled out for the game shortly after. He returned to the Bills sideline in the second half with a brace on his right knee and using crutches.
His injury left the Bills with as many injured defensive ends (Jackson, A.J. Epenesa, Michael Hoecht) as healthy defensive ends (Joey Bosa, Greg Rousseau, Javon Solomon).
Jackson has played in three games with 30 defensive snaps and 13 special teams snaps and is yet to record his first career tackle.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Dec. 5 that Jackson is out for the rest of the season.
Ed Oliver, DT, biceps
Ed Oliver suffered a torn biceps injury which required and is out indefinitely. He was placed on on injured reserve on Oct. 28 and was eligible to return in Week 13.
Oliver was hurt in the second quarter and was ruled out for the rest of the game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Oliver, who had a sack on the first possession of the game, went into the medical tent and FOX cameras showed him speaking with trainers and pointing to his left arm. He returned to the sideline with his arm in a sling under his hooded sweatshirt.
He missed four games earlier this season (Weeks 2-5) with an ankle injury after he got stepped on in practice on Sept. 10.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said on Dec. 5 that Oliver could potentially return for the playoffs.
McDermott gave an update on Dec. 28 that Oliver suffered a minor setback in his recovery but is «moving in a good direction.»
Taylor Rapp, S, knee
Taylor Rapp was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 24.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Rapp was battling an injury since training camp and «it got to the point where he can’t be himself.»
Rapp ha 26 tackles in six games this season.
Michael Hoecht, DE, Achilles
Michael Hoecht tore his right Achilles in the fourth quarter of the win against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
He suffered the non-contact injury while taking one step into his rush off the left edge with 14:25 remaining. Hoecht was unable to put pressure on his right leg. He waved off the cart that drove into the field to take him to the locker room. Instead, Hoecht hobbled off with the help of trainers and stayed on the bench with his teammates for the rest of the game.
Hoecht, a free agent signing in the offseason, was suspended for the first six games of the season.
He has five tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in two games.
«It’s a big loss,» Bills head coach Sean McDermott said in his postgame press conference. “I feel terrible for him.”
Tyler Bass, K, left hip/groin
Tyler Bass was placed on injured reserve on Friday, Sept. 5 after he was unable to practice the day prior. Bass missed most of training camp with pelvic soreness, sitting out from July 28 to Aug. 19 before returning for the preseason finale. He went 3-for-4 in that game, connecting from 37, 37 and 39 yards before pushing a 26-yarder wide right.
Bass was eligible to return in Week 5 against the New England Patriots but has not had his 21-day practice window opened.
Matt Prater, 41, signed to the Bills practice squad, was elevated for Week 1 and made a 32-yard game-winning field goal with no time left to defeat the Baltimore Ravens 41-40 in Week 1. Prater has since been signed to the active roster and is 10-for-11 on field goals and 17-for-17 on extra points through six games.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Bass underwent season-ending surgery in November.
Cameron Johnston, P, foot/ankle
Cameron Johnston suffered left foot and ankle injuries after taking a hit to his left plant leg on a punt in the fourth quarter in the Week 4 win over the Saints. The Bills placed him on injured reserve on Sept. 30 and signed punter Mitch Wishnowsky.
New Orleans linebacker Nephi Sewell crashed into Johnston’s left leg and was flagged for a roughing the kicker penalty. Johnston, 33, immediately slammed his helmet to the turf in frustration before hobbling off with trainers.
The athletic staff put a brace on Johnston’s left leg and he stretched out his leg on the sideline. Backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky put his helmet on in case he needed to take over holding duties on a field goal but Johnston came back into the game to hold for Matt Prater’s 35-yard field goal that gave the Bills a 31-19 lead. He walked to the X-ray room after the game.
Johnston was carted off the field with a season-ending right knee injury in Week 1 last season after taking a low shot while playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Dorian Strong, CB, neck
Dorian Strong played in four games with one start before suffering a neck injury and being placed on injured reserve on Oct. 4. The rookie sixth-round pick was eligible to return in Week 10.
Damar Hamlin, S, pectoral
Damar Hamlin suffered pectoral injury in practice Oct. 9 and was placed on injured reserve.
He was eligible to return in Week 11, although Bills coach Sean McDermott said it’s «up in the air» if Hamlin’s injury is season-ending.
Hamlin started 14 games in 2024 but has played a reserve role this year with Cole Bishop and Taylor Rapp as the starting safeties. He has one tackle in five games.
DeWayne Carter, DT, Achilles
DeWayne Carter suffered a torn Achilles and will miss the entire 2025 season.
Carter, a 2024 third-round pick, recorded 14 tackles, five tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and a pass defended in 11 games last year.
Chase Lundt, OT, knee
Chase Lundt, a rookie sixth-round pick, was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 19. Lundt has appeared in two games, with three offensive snaps and five special teams snaps, in 2025.
Wande Owens, S, undisclosed
The undrafted rookie was waived Aug. 23 with an injury designation and went unclaimed on waivers.
New York Jets injury update for Week 18
Breece Hall, RB, knee
Breece Hall suffered a knee injury when he slammed his knee into the ground out of bounds while being tackled in the fourth quarter against the Patriots on Sunday. He said after the game that he is fine and won’t need testing.
Mason Taylor, TE, neck
Mason Taylor has missed the last three games with a neck injury. The rookie has 44 catches for 369 yards and one touchdown in 13 games in 2025.
Isaiah Davis, RB, concussion
Isaiah Davis was evaluated for a concussion after a kickoff in the fourth quarter against the Patriots in Week 17. He did not return to the game.
Davis has 236 rushing yards and a touchdown on 43 carries and 21 receptions for 186 yards in 16 games in 2025.
Qwan’tez Stiggers, CB, knee
Qwan’tez Stiggers was helped off he field with a knee injury in the third quarter in the loss to the Patriots last week. He was helped off the field by athletic trainers and did not return. Stiggers led the Jets with 10 tackles in the game.
New York Jets injured reserve
- Tony Adams, S, groin
- Braelon Allen, RB, knee
- Tyler Baron, DE, knee
- Kris Boyd, CB, shoulder
- Jarvis Brownlee Jr., CB, hip
- Andre Cisco, S, pectoral
- Justin Fields, QB, knee
- Gus Hartwig, C, knee
- Kiko Mauigoa, LB, neck
- Marcelino McCrary-Ball, LB, hamstring
- Will McDonald IV, DE, knee
- Isaiah Oliver, S, knee
- Josh Reynolds, WR, hip
- Azareye’h Thomas, CB, shoulder
- Jay Tufele, DT, foot
- Alijah Vera-Tucker, G, triceps
- Garrett Wilson, WR, knee
