Bills vs. Texans inactives, 2014 Week 4: Chris Williams shelved

The Buffalo Bills have released their list of seven inactive players for this afternoon's Week 4 contest against the Houston Texans, and it includes a starting offensive lineman and two key special teams players.

• RB Bryce Brown (healthy scratch)
• WR Marquise Goodwin (concussion)
• WR Marcus Easley (knee)
• OT Cyrus Kouandjio (healthy scratch)
• LG Chris Williams (back)
• LB Randell Johnson (knee)
• CB Ross Cockrell (healthy scratch)

The biggest name on the list is Williams, the starting left guard that missed most of last week's loss to San Diego with a back ailment that cost him a lot of practice time in camp. It's looking like rookie fifth-round pick Cyril Richardson will make his NFL debut in place of Williams at that position, though the team could also work Kraig Urbik into the mix there throughout the course of the game.

Easley and Johnson are two of the Bills' most-used special teams players, so their absence is significant from that angle - particularly regarding Easley, who continues to establish himself as one of the better specialists in football.

The often-dinged Goodwin was lit up late in the fourth quarter during last week's loss to San Diego, and though he did try to practice this week, the Bills eventually shelved him, calling his head injury a concussion. He, along with Williams, did not make the trip to Houston. Chris Hogan will serve as the Bills' fourth receiver when their play calls necessitate that role.

Brown and Kouandjio have yet to dress for a game this season, while this is the third straight week on the inactive list for Cockrell. (He played in Week 1 when Stephon Gilmore was injured.)