The Buffalo Bills are set to start their playoff run on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but will need to do it without a veteran wide receiver who had been one of the biggest offseason additions.
The team announced on Saturday that receiver Joshua Palmer was going on injured reserve, ending what had been a disappointing season. Palmer struggled with injuries and inconsistent play throughout the season and now will have to watch from the sidelines as the team tries again to reach the Super Bowl.
Joshua Palmer Had Been Ruled Out
The Bills had already announced that Palmer would miss Sunday’s wild-card game against the Jaguars, depleting the wide receiving corps.
Palmer was one of the team’s biggest additions to the offense in the offseason, with the Bills hoping he could replicate the steady role he played with the Los Angeles Chargers. But Palmer struggled to find a place in the offense, making 22 receptions for 303 yards and no touchdowns.
As ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg noted, there had been some hope that Palmer could be on the right track after playing a significant role in the season finale.
“Knee and ankle injuries led to Palmer missing five games during the regular season, though he did play in Week 18 against the New York Jets (84% of snaps),” Getzenberg wrote.
The Bills came up short on another offseason addition, cutting ties with Elijah Moore as the team added veterans Mecole Hardman and Brandin Cooks midway through the season.
Bills Turning Back to Controversial WR
With Palmer now out for the rest of the postseason, the Bills are expected to turn back to second-year wide receiver Keon Coleman to play a role in the offense. Coleman had been benched during the season after he missed a team practice, and was inactive for four games this season.
SI.com’s Ralph Ventre noted that this represents a big opportunity for Coleman to turn things around.
“It could be one of the final opportunities for Coleman to earn back the trust he presumably lost both on and off the field this season,” Ventre wrote. “He has been a healthy scratch on four occasions with the decision to make him inactive varying from disciplinary to game plan-specific.”
After showing flashes of star potential during his rookie season in 2024, Coleman struggled to match the level of production while dealing with disciplinary issues. He made 38 receptions for 404 yards with four touchdowns in 13 games this season.
The Bills could have another big piece missing on Sunday, with running back Ty Johnson listed as questionable with an ankle injury. The team elevated running back Frank Gore Jr. from the practice squad on Saturday, which could be a bad sign for Johnson’s availability.
Though James Cook gets the bulk of carries for the Bills, Johnson plays an important role as a third-down back and a passing target out of the backfield for quarterback Josh Allen. If Johnson is unable to play, the Bills could hand a bigger role to backup running back Ray Davis, who also earned first-team All-Pro honors as a kick returner.
Bills Announce Season-Ending Decision for Veteran WR