Host of Bills out vs. Texans, including WR Shakir, three on defense

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills will be without several key players in Sunday’s game vs. the Houston Texans, with wide receiver Khalil Shakir, defensive tackles Ed Oliver and Austin Johnson, and safety Taylor Rapp all ruled out by coach Sean McDermott on Friday.

Oliver suffered a hamstring injury in practice Thursday, and the other injuries took place in the game. Johnson (oblique), Rapp (concussion protocol) and Shakir (ankle) have not practiced this week. Shakir is the team’s leading receiver through four games, having caught 18 of 19 targets for 230 yards and two touchdowns.  Curtis Samuel is among the receivers who will have more of a role in his absence.

“Thankful we have Curtis, and a couple other guys that we move around and everything,” McDermott said. “… [Shakir’s] a very important player to us, very good player and a guy that Josh has a lot of confidence in and rapport built up with, so, we’ll miss him, no doubt, but again, another opportunity for somebody to step up.”

The Bills will have left tackle Dion Dawkins (hamstring) for the game as gradually increased his practice time throughout the week and is not listed with a game status.

McDermott said that he had not yet had the conversation with head athletic trainer Nate Breske on how long Oliver’s injury will keep him out.

On the active roster, the team’s available defensive tackles will be starter DaQuan Jones, rookie DeWayne Carter, and Zion Logue, signed off the Atlanta Falcons practice squad this week, with Eli Ankou and Branson Deen available on the practice squad.

With Rapp out, second-round pick Cole Bishop will get his first NFL start alongside Damar Hamlin.

Linebacker Terrel Bernard (pectoral) and nickel corner Taron Johnson (forearm) have been limited in practice all week and will be questionable for the game. Bernard was injured in Week 2, and Johnson has been out since the first drive of Week 1.

McDermott said that he continues to feel that Bernard is ahead of Johnson, who remained in a noncontact jersey for Friday’s practice, but that they will see how things go as it gets closer to the game.

“My pec, it feels pretty much the same as it’s been pretty much all week, so it’s gotten I think, a little bit stronger” Bernard said. “So, I think, we’ll see where we’re at. I still got some stuff to do [Friday, Saturday] and then we’ll go from there.”