The Buffalo Bills will be without another key member of the defense when they face the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football in Week 10.
The team announced on Saturday that All-Pro safety Micah Hyde had been ruled out of the November 13 game, also noting that second-year cornerback Christian Benford will not be able to play. The Bills had already taken a number of hits on defense, and the newest injuries could push two recently acquired veterans into prominent roles.
Micah Hyde and Christian Benford are out for Monday’s game.
#DENvsBUF injury report: t.co/um4QGHB8fu
Micah Hyde Sidelined Against Broncos
Hyde had been listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report with a neck injury. Hyde had been hurt late in the November 5 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on what appeared to be a late hit from Bengals guard Cordell Volson.
The play attracted some controversy, as Volson was not flagged and Hyde was unable to return to the game. The Bills ended up losing 24-18, falling to 5-4 and missing out on a chance to move into a tie with the Miami Dolphins atop the AFC East.
Hyde is coming off an injury-shortened 2022 season, as he suffered a neck injury in Week 2 and did not return the rest of the season. In the offseason, the veteran safety said he feared that his football career could be coming to an end.
“When it first happened, I didn’t know what the outcome was going to be. I thought I was done,” Hyde said during training camp in July, via SI.com. “But I had a conversation with the doctor a couple of weeks ago, and the realization that it’s way better.”
The injury leaves the Bills even thinner in the secondary. The team already lost All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White to a season-ending Achilles tear, and Benford’s injury could press recent additions Rasul Douglas and Josh Norman into bigger roles.
Third-year safety Damar Hamlin, who has been a healthy scratch in all but one game this season, could move into the lineup to add depth after Hyde’s injury. The team could also elevate recently signed safety Tre Norwood, who joined the practice squad this week.
Bills Looking to Rebound on Monday Night Football
The Bills head into Monday’s game with the chance to rebound and claw back into the playoff picture in a competitive AFC. Heavy projections powered by Quarter4 give the Bills a 71% win percentage and a predicted point spread of -6.
Speaking to reporters this week, Bills quarterback Josh Allen said he was confident that the team could
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Bills Share Crushing Injury News on Safety Micah Hyde for MNF