BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Bills middle linebacker Terrel Bernard suffered a pectoral strain in Thursday night's win over the Miami Dolphins but it is not considered to be a season-ending injury, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday.
Bernard is a candidate for injured reserve as he could be out for about a month, sources said.
Coach Sean McDermott said during a news conference Friday that the team has not decided whether Bernard will be placed on injured reserve.
"Unfortunately, [Bernard's] gonna be out multiple weeks," McDermott said. "We're talking about whether or not it's an IR-conducive type of situation or not. ... We still got some internal conversations that we have to have yet to determine if it's gonna end up in IR or not."
Tests revealed the extent of Bernard's injury after he left the Bills' 31-10 win in the first quarter and did not return. The 2022 third-round pick earned the team's middle linebacker role in the 2023 offseason after Tremaine Edmunds left in free agency, and Bernard started all 17 games last year.
Bernard, 25, is one of two team captains this year, along with quarterback Josh Allen .
"Obviously, you see just the work that guys put in and you hate when they're not able to play 'cause this is what they do it for," defensive coordinator Bobby Babich said Friday. "They do it for Sundays and the opportunity to play for a championship. So obviously feel terrible for [Bernard], but he'll approach it the right way. We'll get him back when he's ready, and we'll be rocking and rolling."
Just two weeks into the 2024 season, Bernard is the third Bills starting defender who will miss time with an injury. He joins nickel cornerback Taron Johnson (forearm), who has not been placed on injured reserve, and linebacker Matt Milano (torn biceps), who is on IR and will be out for months.
Despite the injuries, the Buffalo defense held Miami to 10 points to improve to 2-0. The team had three interceptions, including two by defensive back Ja'Marcus Ingram -- playing more as a result of Johnson's injury -- and held the Dolphins to 1-for-5 on fourth down and 1-for-4 in the red zone.
Baylon Spector , a 2022 seventh-round pick, came in for Bernard and tied for the team lead in tackles with 10. McDermott said that he anticipates Spector continuing in that role while Bernard is out but that he had not yet met with the defensive staff.
Spector has dealt with a variety of injuries in his NFL career, and it was not the first time he has come off the bench to play. In the 2023 regular-season finale against the Dolphins for the AFC East title, which the Bills won, linebacker Tyrel Dodson was injured, and Spector came in to play for him.
"I think Baylon's really starting to understand his body and what he needs to be able to be available," Babich said. "And then, just another year, like all these guys, to get more comfortable in the system and challenge him. Me, personally, when I was the linebackers coach, I challenged him to be in control of our operation and run the operation like a Mike linebacker does for the Buffalo Bills, and he's shown that he can do that, and I'm really proud of him."
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