Getty Former Jacksonville Jaguars defender Dawuane Smoot celebrates after a play.
The Buffalo Bills will be missing a key defensive end for their Thursday Night Football matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
The team announced on September 10 that eight-year veteran Dawuane Smoot has been ruled out for the key divisional game as he deals with an injured toe. Smoot, who signed with the Bills this offseason, has yet to take the field this season as he was also ruled out of the team’s season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
Bills Could Look to Practice Squad for Depth
The Bills have already been forced to dip into their reserves at defensive end. The team elevated practice squad defensive end Kameron Cline and gave a larger role to Casey Toohill in Week 1 after Smoot was ruled out.
The Bills signed Smoot this offseason after seven years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He appeared in 99 regular season games and five playoff games during that time.
As SI.com’s John Shipley noted, Smoot became one of the team’s most reliable pass rushers during his tenure in Jacksonville.
“A third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Smoot appeared in 90 games for the Jaguars over his first six seasons, recording 22.5 sacks, 27 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles,” Shipley wrote. “One of the best developmental stories in recent Jaguars history, Smoot was able to become one of the Jaguars’ most reliable pass-rushers in recent seasons as he transitioned to more of an inside/outside role that saw him line up in multiple positions.”
The Bills were able to generate a strong pass rush in their 34-28 win over the Cardinals on Sunday thanks in large part to a breakout game from defensive end Greg Rousseau. He recorded 3.0 sacks, a forced fumble and six total tackles in the win.
Rousseau was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for the performance.
𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐓‼️
After the game, Bills head coach Sean McDermott said the strong performance was a continuation of the hard work he had been putting in over the course of the offseason.
“Big time day. Big time day,” McDermott said, via the team’s official website. “I love that he carried over to the game what he had shown in training camp and in the last couple of weeks in practice. That’s big. When you can take how you do things from practice and do it in the game, that’s a mindset, right? And so, I think that’s all also growth and maturation in and of itself.”
Bills Dealing With Injuries on Short Week
The Bills had already ruled out nickel cornerback Taron Johnson for Thursday’s game against the Dolphins. Johnson was hurt early in the team’s win over the Cardinals on Sunday, suffering an arm injury and being taken to the locker room.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott hinted that Johnson could miss an extended stretch, saying on September 10 that a stint on injured reserve is still on the table. If he’s placed on injured reserve, Johnson would miss a minimum of four weeks.
“We’re seeing what the options are, so we can make the best decision,” McDermott said, via reporter Chris Brown on X.
Comments
Bills Make Final Decision on Veteran DE for Key Divisional Matchup