The Buffalo Bills saw one of their top players get held out of training on Monday when linebacker Terrel Bernard was not seen on the field on Aug. 24.
There’s a long list of guys NOT practicing.
#BillsMafia“I did NOT see Terrell Bernard at Bills practice. There’s a long list of guys NOT practicing.” Dan Fetes reported.
Yet Bernard – as Fetes noted – was not the only one, as Nick Sabato gave a full list of the Bills who missed practice earlier on Monday.
“Bills not practicing: Connor McGovern Jude Bowry (left foot in a boot) Sedrick Van Pran-Granger Keon Coleman Khalil Shakir Ed Oliver Javon Solomon (right leg in a sleeve) Terrel Bernard C.J. Gardner-Johnson”, Sabato wrote on X.
Of that list, five are starters; McGovern, Shakir, Oliver, Gardner-Johnson and of course, Bernard. McGovern was originally injured on Aug. 8 with what looked to be a hamstring strain, Shakir has missed practice since apparently picking up an injury in the pre-season opener back on Aug. 15.
Gardner-Johnson and Oliver’s injuries are also new – although Oliver was present and moving around during the stretch period ahead of the practice on Monday.
Should the Bills be Concerned by Terrel Bernard’s Absence?
The main reason for concern on the behalf of Bernard is the fact that the 27-year old had ankle surgery this offseason to help heal an issue that had been nagging the former third round pick since December 2023: over two-and-a-half years.
That lingering problem is what many believe contributed to a significant decline in performance in 2025, which saw him be benched in favor of veteran Shaq Thompson later on in the year.
There has been no indication from the franchise that Bernard’s absence is specifically related to the ankle issue, which was originally a sprain but worsened over the ensuing years.
If the issue is serious, no doubt head coach Joe Brady will address it in the coming days. But if it is simply a minor tweak or nick, then Buffalo will be looking to Bernard to have a true bounce-back season in 2026.
After being extended in the offseason prior to his contract year in March 2025, Bernard is currently in the first year of his four-year rookie extension that is worth a base of $42 million, but up to $50 million, and also includes nearly $24 million guaranteed.
Given the structure of his contract, Bernard is unlikely to be cut by the team prior to the 2028 season, at which point the Bills can save $6 million by releasing him. If he is released before then, the team will incur a dead cap hit on the season that supersedes the value of cap hit that year.
The main focus at this point for Bernard at this point is getting healthy and putting good performances on tape to hit the ground running come the start of the season on September 13.
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