The Buffalo Bills may be headed into Week 1 with a small but potentially meaningful tweak to their backfield.
With Buffalo set to open the season on the road against the Houston Texans on Sunday, the team is working through a few injury questions before kickoff. The biggest one involves running back Ty Johnson, who is still in question and could leave the Bills needing an extra body behind James Cook and Ray Davis.
That’s where Frank Gore Jr. comes in. Bills insider Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic projected that Buffalo will elevate Gore from the practice squad for Sunday’s game, along with wide receiver and return specialist Greg Dortch. “Projected practice squad elevations: RB Frank Gore Jr., WR/PR Greg Dortch,” Buscaglia wrote.
The potential move lines up with the uncertainty around Johnson. Bills head coach Joe Brady said after Friday’s practice that Johnson, along with TJ Sanders and Jordan Hancock, will be questionable for the game.
“TJ Sanders, Jordan Hancock, Ty Johnson - all will be questionable for the game. We’ll take it up to game time and see what that looks like,” Brady said.
Johnson did get some work in on Friday, and he sounded encouraged afterward. He said he felt good handling the football and working with quarterback Josh Allen.
“I felt really good today, being out there, being able to do some handoffs and everything. Some ball handling with Josh, catch some routes and everything.
So that’s really what it feels like I need,” Johnson said.
He also said the Bills’ training staff has stayed closely involved throughout his recovery, while he continues putting in extra film work. “I’m feeling good, doing a lot of work and everything,” Johnson said. “The trainers and staff have been working with me heavily, so I’m feeling pretty good and doing everything I can.”
If Johnson can’t go, elevating Gore would give Buffalo another healthy option in the backfield. Cook is expected to start, with Davis in line as the backup, but the Bills could still want added depth behind them.
Gore has spent the last two years on Buffalo’s practice squad after going undrafted in 2024. He has appeared in an NFL game before, though his career stat line is still limited to one catch for six yards and no rushing attempts.
That could change Sunday if Buffalo decides to bring him up before the 1 p.m. ET kickoff against Houston.
In Other News...
Texans Leave Week 1 With A Defensive Problem They Can't Ignore
The Texans opened their 25th anniversary season with the kind of game that can energize a crowd and unsettle a coaching staff at the same time. Houston and Buffalo traded momentum in a back-and-forth matchup, but Josh Allen kept finding answers, finishing with four touchdowns as the Bills edged out a 36-31 win in a game that felt like a showcase for both offenses and a warning sign for the Texans.
For Houston, the bigger concern is what happened after the fireworks. The Texans were in position to keep the pressure on late, but C.J. Stroud was stripped by Bills linebacker Greg Rousseau in a key fourth-quarter sequence, and Allens ability to punish the Texans both through the air and on the ground made it hard to settle the game down. After a season opener built on big plays and lead changes, Houston leaves Week 1 knowing its defense has a problem it has to answer quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Defensive Line Takes An Early Hit Before Week 1
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McDonald will now miss at least the first four games of the season, a setback for a player the Texans had penciled in as part of their early defensive plans. The injury is not season-ending, and Houston does have depth at the position to absorb the absence, but it still removes one of the teams most intriguing young additions from the opening stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Texans Send An Early Message With Week 1 Inactive Decisions
The Texans wasted little time signaling how they want to handle their season opener, rolling out their Week 1 inactive list ahead of Sundays matchup with the Bills. Brevin Jordan is among the six players ruled out as he continues to recover from a knee injury, while recent roster additions Nate Thomas and Jaden Crumedy also will not be available when the teams meet at Reliant Stadium at noon CT.
For Houston, the early inactive decisions are the first real glimpse at how the roster is being managed heading into the opener and which depth pieces are still working their way into the mix. With Buffalo already knowing who it can and cannot count on, the Texans will now try to sort through those absences and still set the tone in front of a home crowd. [Read more 🡒]