The Bills announced their Week 3 players the team has placed on the protected portion of their practice squad via the NFL’s transaction wire on Tuesday.
Those four players are:
- OL Jordan Devey
- CB Dane Jackson
- DT Justin Zimmer
- OL Jonotthan Harrison
Harrison is the lone change from their Week 2 protected players. Here’s who the Bills have protected over the course of their first two games, respectively:
- OL Jordan Devey
- CB Dane Jackson
- LB Andre Swift
- DT Justin Zimmer
Week 1’s list:
- OL Evan Boehm
- DT Justin Zimmer
- CB Dane Jackson
- CB Cam Lewis
The change from Smith to Harrison comes in part to Harrison not signing with the Bills until late last week. However, that could potentially indicate that one or both starting linebackers, Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano, might have seen their health improve after missing Week 2 vs. the Dolphins. Those two are battling shoulder and hamstring issues, respectively.
In terms of Jackson, Josh Norman will spend at least one more week on the team’s injured reserve list due to his hamstring issue, so it comes as no surprise that the rookie cornerback is once again protected.
A notable non-placement is no tight end being protected. Against the Dolphins, Dawson Knox left the game early due to a concussion. But the Bills do already have depth in that position via Lee Smith, who was inactive last week and could play against the Rams in Week 3. Jason Croom was also released from the team’s practice squad earlier on Tuesday.
Zimmer remaining on the protected area comes as little surprise as he actually saw playing time when he was called up to Buffalo’s active roster Week 1. Defensive tackle Vernon Butler was able to play in Week 2 though, so Zimmer was not called up a week ago.
Here’s our previous explanation on the “protected” practice squad situation, a new addition to the NFL this season, from our Week 1 coverage:
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the United States, the NFL’s owners and players came to an offseason agreement that we’ve seen the first installment of on Tuesday evening. Each team in the league can “protect” four players on their practice squad each week.
The idea is to provide some extra depth for teams in case of a COVID-19 outbreak in a locker room late in the week prior to a Sunday or Monday game. Those four can be called up to the active roster up until Sunday morning prior to kickoff every week.
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