Bills Provide Terrel Bernard Injury Update

The Buffalo Bills had plenty to celebrate on Thursday night as they defeated the Miami Dolphins, 31-10, in their first divisional matchup of the season. However, while the team didn't leave unscathed, as linebacker and captain Terrel Bernard left the game early with a pectoral injury.

Following tests, the Bills have confirmed that Bernard strained his pectoral and will miss time. The good news is that his injury is not considered season-ending, but it may still hold him out for a month.

With teams being able to place players on injured reserve for four weeks before taking them off, Bernard could be a candidate as the team may look to sign a veteran to take his spot in the starting defense.

While Bernard's injury isn't expected to end his season, it certainly is still a huge blow for the Bills as he had grown into a leader and the main communicator for the defense throughout the past year. In Week 1, Bernard also led the team in tackles with 13 against the Arizona Cardinals.

With Bernard missing time along with veteran Matt Milano, the team has a huge hole at their inside linebacker position, which was originally expected to be one of their biggest strengths throughout training camp.

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This injury does potentially leave the door open for a younger player to prove themselves in the coming weeks, similar to how Bernard did in 2023. Undrafted rookie and Buffalo native Joe Andreessen has been a healthy scratch for the team's first two games, but he is certainly a candidate to earn more snaps in Bernard's absence.