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The news for Buffalo Bills wide receiver David Nelson is as bad as the team feared: ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Nelson suffered a torn ACL yesterday and is out for the year.
Nelson, who will turn 26 in November, is one of the more dependable and trusted targets of Ryan Fitzpatrick, and his loss is a crippling blow to a Bills offense that already had major question marks at receiver. Playing a prominent slot receiver role in 2011, Nelson put up 61 receptions for 658 yards and five touchdowns.
With Nelson out of the lineup, tight end Scott Chandler will become the only viable safety valve target for Fitzpatrick. Donald Jones, a fellow third-year receiver and a starter in name, will fill in for Nelson in the slot when the Bills spread the field with multiple receivers. Who fills in on the edge remains the big question, with rookie third-round pick T.J. Graham likely in line for a much larger role than the team had planned on.