After suffering a serious injury just seven plays into the season, Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson may have a potential return date. Johnson fractured his forearm during the team’s season opener against the Arizona Cardinals and has missed the last two games, but he has avoided going on injured reserve. He mentioned to The Athletic’s Buscaglia that he hopes to return by Week 5.
Buscaglia reported on September 25 that Johnson clarified the injury wasn’t a clean break, but rather a crack. The typical recovery timeline for such injuries is 4 to 6 weeks. While Johnson aims to be back for the Week 5 game against the Texans, his exact status remains uncertain.
The Bills have officially ruled Johnson out for their upcoming game against the Baltimore Ravens, with head coach Sean McDermott confirming he won’t be ready to play. Additionally, the secondary could face further challenges as reserve cornerback Kaiir Elam is dealing with a neck injury but is expected to participate in the game.
Linebacker Terrel Bernard has also been ruled out for the Ravens matchup, although he may return soon. He participated in limited drills while wearing a non-contact jersey on Thursday and is anticipated to continue his progression.
Bernard expressed optimism about potentially joining Johnson on the field by Week 5, stating that he will do everything possible to expedite his recovery.
The Bills are also dealing with injuries on the offensive side, having placed offensive lineman Tylan Grable on injured reserve earlier this week.
Despite these setbacks, the Bills have maintained one of the league’s top defenses. After conceding 28 points in their season opener, they limited the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars to just 10 points each in subsequent games. Opponents are averaging 16.0 points and 286.7 total yards per game against them, placing Buffalo among the top 10 in both categories.
Some backups have stepped up impressively, such as former practice squad cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram, who recorded two interceptions in the win over Miami, one of which he returned for a touchdown.
