TL;DR
- Mecole Hardman placed on injured reserve by Buffalo Bills with calf injury.
- Hardman will miss at least four games, including Week 12 vs. Texans.
- Bills' wide receiver group faces further instability with multiple injuries and benchings.
- Khalil Shakir now faces pressure as the team's top wide receiver.
The hits just keep on coming for the Buffalo Bills at wide receiver.
Mecole Hardman, a wide receiver, has been placed on injured reserve by The Bills, the team revealed Thursday prior to their matchup with the Houston Texans, following his debut game with the team after suffering a calf injury.
This action necessitates Hardman sitting out a minimum of the upcoming four matches. The Week 12 matchup with The Texans will be counted as one of these.
Hardman joined the Bills' practice squad on November 10th and was moved to the active roster on November 15th. In his Week 11 debut, he was only targeted one time and didn't make any receptions.
Even though Hardman's chances of making a substantial impact were consistently low, this event marks another setback for The Bills' already unstable group of wide receivers.
Joshua Palmer hasn't met expectations in Buffalo this season, and Keon Coleman is reportedly going to be benched for a second consecutive game, following the second-year wide receiver's tardiness to a meeting last week.
Adding to the difficulties, the Bills will be without Dalton Kincaid for a second straight week due to his ongoing hamstring issue.
The Buffalo Bills were said to be interested in acquiring a wide receiver before the trade deadline, though they ultimately made no acquisitions.
Instead, Buffalo brought in Hardman, and they are also hoping for veteran Gabe Davis to step up.
Tyrell Shavers delivered a remarkable performance for The Bills in Week 11, though it's uncertain whether this unproven receiver can sustain such a level of play.
With Kincaid out, Khalil Shakir will face considerable pressure as the team's clear top wide receiver.
More NFL news
- Joe Burrow injury update from Bengals leaves door open for Week 12 return
- Steelers' Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell usage plan confirmed by ESPN
- Bears offseason trade proposal lands $160 million superstar defender
- ESPN insider links Jets to $230 million QB as Justin Fields replacement