The Buffalo Bills are heading toward their season opener against the Texans with a running back situation that suddenly looks thin.
Ty Johnson still isn’t practicing because of a hamstring injury, and that leaves Buffalo with just James Cook and Ray Davis available at the position. The Bills could turn to Frank Gore Jr. for help by elevating him from the practice squad, but as things stand, Johnson looks highly unlikely to be ready for Sunday.
“With Ty Johnson still not practicing, the Bills have only three running backs practicing on the overall 70-man roster. James Cook, Ray Davis, and Frank Gore, Jr., who could be elevated from the practice squad Sunday,” per Bills reporter Sal Capaccio.
That issue lands at a time when the Bills have otherwise avoided the kind of major injury pileup that has hit other teams before the 2026 season. But with the opener getting closer, this is becoming a real concern for a roster that may need more help behind Josh Allen.
Allen, of course, remains the centerpiece, but even his brilliance can only cover so much if the support around him is stretched. The Bills will need someone to step up if they’re going to manage the Texans with limited depth in the backfield.
The game will also mark the NFL head coaching debut for Joe Brady, whom Buffalo hired after Sean McDermott’s firing and gave a five-year deal to lead the team. Brady is 36 years old and is set to become the youngest coach in the league in the 2026 season.
Allen has already spoken highly of his new coach. “He’s the first one in, the last one out.
When he says he loves to work, he truly loves to work. He loves football, he loves this game,” Allen said of Brady in a previous interview.
In Other News...
Patriots Just Made A Bills Rivalry Move Fans Will Notice
New England is adding a familiar name to its defensive line picture, and Buffalo fans will recognize the move right away. The Patriots are expected to sign defensive tackle DaQuan Jones to a one-year deal worth up to $6 million, bringing in a veteran who spent time with the Bills and also played for head coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee.
The timing matters, too, with the Patriots looking to shore up their front after their season opener. Jones gives them experienced depth ahead of Week 2, and for the Bills it is another reminder that a division rival is trying to patch a weakness with a player who already knows both sides of the AFC East story. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Already Face A Stadium Concern Fans Did Not Expect
The Bills have already run into an early stadium problem no one expected, and it has nothing to do with the scoreboard. After only two preseason games, the team decided to replace the grass field at its new stadium because of major deformations and poor sod quality, a rough start for a surface meant to carry them through the season.
Field expert Nick Pappas said the trouble traced back to a mix of sod quality, maintenance challenges before Buffalos grounds crew fully took over, and the new growing environment. The next test comes quickly, with three straight home games on the schedule, and the possibility remains that the field could need another replacement before the season is over. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Still Have One Receiver Question That Could Force A Move
With a new coaching staff and fresh pieces on offense, the Bills head into 2026 with more intrigue than uncertainty at receiver, but not necessarily none of either. DJ Moore gives Josh Allen a proven target and rookie Skyler Bell adds another layer to the room, yet the position still has enough moving parts that it will be watched closely once the games start counting.
The idea of Buffalo making another move would not be a surprise if the early returns on the receiver group do not match the plan. One name already being floated is Clevelands Jerry Jeudy, with the connection helped along by the teams history of trades and the kind of fit Buffalo could be looking for if it needs more help at the position during the season. [Read more 🡒]