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The Buffalo Bills suddenly have plenty of injuries on the offensive line, but at least there is some good news on that front heading into this week’s game.
With the Bills set to host the New York Jets, guard John Miller is trending in the right direction for the game. Head coach Sean McDermott is cautiously optimistic that Miller will be able to play, saying that he is taking it “one day at a time” with the big right guard. Miller missed last week’s game against the Miami Dolphins due to an oblique injury. (He did block Jerry Hughes during Hughes’s altercation with an official after the game, though.) Jeremiah Sirles started the game at right guard in place of Miller.
McDermott also gave an update on the center position, which was thrown into a state of flux due to starter Russell Bodine’s broken leg. The fifth-year veteran suffered the injury against the Dolphins, and he was replaced in the lineup by Ryan Groy. Bodine has since had surgery and been placed on injured reserve, ending his season.
According to Ian Rapoport, Buffalo had center Dillon Day, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, in for a workout on Monday. While many expected that the Bills would sign a center to replace Bodine on the roster, it appears that will not happen. McDermott said that Jeremiah Sirles, who has played both tackle and guard for the Bills so far this season, will serve as the backup to Groy on Sunday. Sirles started against the Dolphins in place of Miller, and he struggled to maintain his pass blocks all day. He does have experience at center, as he started two games there last year for the Minnesota Vikings when starter Pat Elflein was injured.
The status of Buffalo’s interior offensive linemen, especially Miller, will be worth watching as the week unfolds. The Bills do still have one open roster spot, so a signing for depth purposes is possible, as well. They have veteran Vlad Ducasse and rookie Ike Boettger on the roster already, and could feel comfortable giving one of them another look.