The Buffalo Bills are expecting that starting tight end Charles Clay will play this weekend against the New Orleans Saints. Ian Rapoport tweeted the news earlier on Sunday morning.
#Bills TE Charles Clay, who has been out about a month following knee surgery, is likely to play today vs. the #Saints, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 12, 2017
Clay was originally injured in Buffalo’s week five loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. Through four games and a quarter-plus of a fifth, he led the team in receptions and receiving yards. Even though Clay hasn’t taken a snap in over a month, he still finds himself third on the Bills with 20 receptions, trailing only Jordan Matthews (21) and LeSean McCoy (38). His 28 targets are also third, tied with Matthews; they trail only McCoy (47) and Zay Jones (44), who will miss today’s game with an ankle injury.
Even though Clay is back, there is no word on whether he’ll be on a “pitch count” of sorts throughout the game. He has been practicing for the better part of the last two weeks now, and the “mini-bye” after Buffalo’s Thursday night loss to the New York Jets has at least provided him with more time to prepare for this week’s contest. However, it’s possible that backup tight end Nick O’Leary, who performed well in Clay’s absence, will see a greater share of the snaps than he did when both he and Clay were last healthy.
Clay’s return bodes well for Buffalo’s offense, for as good as the Saints’ defense has been, their linebackers have struggled in coverage this season. Adding one of the Bills’ best playmakers to the mix should only help the Bills to take advantage of a favorable matchup this week.