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The Buffalo Bills are growing ever closer to the return of their All-Pro cornerback, and an insider revealed that their All-Pro safety could make a surprise return as well.
The Bills activated cornerback Tre’Davious White from the physically unable to perform list in October and he continues to practice as he moves toward a return from an ACL tear suffered last season. While the Bills have expected White back sometime in the final stretch of this season, the other comeback would be much more surprising.
The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia reported that safety Micah Hyde’s season may not be over, which was the initial prognosis when he suffered a neck injury in September and had to undergo surgery.
Hyde Making His Way Through Rehab
After suffering the neck injury in Buffalo’s September 19 win over the Tennessee Titans, Hyde’s agent took to Twitter to say that he would be out for the year.
“Unfortunately, client Micah Hyde will be put on IR today due to his recent neck injury. Fortunately, we expect a healthy return for #23 in 2023 #BillsMafia #NFL,” agent Jake Bechta tweeted.
But Buscaglia noted that there are now hints that Hyde could be back in the earlier part of 2023. He has been seen working with the team’s strength and conditioning staff and working with other injured members of the 53-man roster. Hyde has remained a fixture on the sidelines, even going out to take the coin toss when the Bills forced overtime in their November 13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Micah Hyde is out here at practice staying loose/stretching with some of his teammates. Tremaine Edmunds and Ike Boettger also off to the side #BillsMafia @WKBW
When asked about whether he might return this year, Hyde also appeared to keep the door open a crack.
“I would love to. I would love to. We’ll see,” Hyde told The Athletic on November 22. “It’s not really up to me. It’s kind of up to the doctors. Historically, no. But I’m not dealing with… those are other people, other situations. So, we’ll see what happens.”
More Immediate Return for the Bills
While Hyde’s hypothetical return would still be weeks away — and potentially not until late in the playoffs — the Bills are set to get back another key member of their defense much sooner. White has been progressing his way through the final stages of rehab and nearing a return, which could now come at any week.
The Bills are 6-0 this season when Jordan Poyer plays.
1-3 without him. #bills #billsmafia
The Bills have endured a number of injuries this season, also losing All-Pro safety Jordan Poyer for four games as well, going 1-3 during those contests. They have called on rookie cornerbacks Kaiir Elam and Christian Benford, but defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said it has been some unfamiliar territory for a defensive unit that had largely been healthy in seasons past.
“It is for sure challenging, not knowing week to week which guy’s gonna start, and as you are trying to look at practice and trying to determine who warrants more snaps,” Frazier said, via a report from ESPN. “We haven’t had to do that in the past. We had usually four guys that were pretty healthy, for the most part, and they were in the lineup, week in and week out. That hasn’t been the case this year.”
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Bills’ All-Pro Safety Could Make Surprise Return This Season: Insider