Bills make two important upgrades, add LB to divisional round injury report

The Buffalo Bills have 14 players on the injury report heading into their January 17 divisional round road game against the Denver Broncos, but it may not be as worrisome as it seems.

On Wednesday, the Bills upgraded starting quarterback Josh Allen and kicker Matt Prater to full participation. The former was limited on Tuesday while the latter did not practice.

Allen is dealing with three separate injuries, but he has yet to miss a snap of game action due to any of them. The 29-year-old field general claimed to “feel better than I have the last few weeks.”

MORE: Bills create second roster vacancy by placing another WR on Injured Reserve

Meanwhile, Prater, who missed two games in December due to a right quad injury, appears to be nearing full strength. With punter Mitch Wishnowsky handling kickoffs, Prater was perfect on place kicks, including a 50-yarder, during the January 11 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Matt Prater

Jan 11, 2026; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Buffalo Bills place kicker Matt Prater (15) kicks a field goal during the first half against the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC Wild Card Round | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Three key players still sidelined

Safety Jordan Poyer, running back Ty Johnson and first-round rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston all missed practice for the second day in a row.

After reaggravating his hamstring injury midway through the wild-card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Poyer is most likely unavailable for January 17 with Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott loosely labeling him as week to week.

Meanwhile, Johnson and Hairston were held out in the wild-card round due to ankle injuries suffered in the regular season finale, and their chances of a Saturday return seem slim at this stage.

Ty Johnson

Buffalo Bills running back Ty Johnson tries to escape New York Jets defensive tackle Harrison Phillips and linebacker Mykal Walker during their home game at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 4, 2026. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Noteworthy addition

The Bills re-added starting linebacker Shaq Thompson to the injury report on Wednesday as he deals with a lingering neck issue. Thompson practiced in a limited capacity, wearing a red non-contact jersey.

MORE: Bills’ starting cornerbacks practice WR drills amid injury wave

The fact that Thompson was also limited all week heading into the Jaguars’ game, but proceeded to play 100 percent of snaps should ease any concern about his divisional round availability.

Shaq Thompson

Buffalo Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson (45) looks over his shoulder after an interception during the first quarter of an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bills’ Injury Report (Divisional)

WEDNESDAY
CB Maxwell Hairston (ankle) — DNP

RB Ty Johnson (ankle) — DNP

S Jordan Poyer (hamstring) — DNP

WR Tyrell Shavers (knee) — DNP (to IR)

LB Terrel Bernard (calf) — Limited

DE AJ Epenesa (neck) — Limited

TE Dalton Kincaid (knee) — Limited

LB Matt Milano (ankle) — Limited

DT Ed Oliver (bicep) — Limited (IR)

DE Greg Rousseau (back) — Limited

LB Shaq Thompson (neck) — Limited

QB Josh Allen (foot/knee/finger) — Full

S Damar Hamlin (pectoral) — Full (IR)

K Matt Prater (quad/calf) — Full

WR Curtis Samuel (elbow) — Full (IR)

TUESDAY
CB Maxwell Hairston (ankle) — DNP