Bills HC provides encouraging update on Week 7 status of two injured stars

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott is optimistic about the Week 7 status of James Cook and Ed Oliver.

Kyle Silagyi | 3 Hours Ago

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The Buffalo Bills are preparing to return home this weekend after a three-game road stretch, as the next contest on their schedule is a Week 7 showdown with the Tennessee Titans in Orchard Park. The team may again boast two of its key starters when it returns to the Highmark Stadium turf, as head coach Sean McDermott is optimistic about the status of running back James Cook and defensive tackle Ed Oliver.

“I think they’ve got a chance,” McDermott said. “We’ll see. Like we normally do, we’ll bring them along slowly through the week, and they’ll get a little bit more practice toward the end of the week there. My hope is that both are ready to go. We’ll just take it one day at a time, though.”

Cook picked up a toe injury late during Buffalo’s Week 5 loss to the Houston Texans, an ailment that prompted him to miss most of the team’s practices in the leadup to its Week 6 Monday Night Football clash with the New York Jets. The reigning Pro Bowler was initially expected to play but was ultimately made inactive; rookie running back Ray Davis played admirably in his absence, totaling 152 yards on 23 touches. Cook’s eventual return will be welcomed despite Davis’ breakout, as the versatile back has tallied 432 total yards and five touchdowns through four games this season.

Oliver has missed two consecutive games after suffering a hamstring injury in a pre-Week 5 practice. The oft-game-altering interior defender has recorded one sack and nine pressures through four games this year; he’s coming off a 2023 campaign in which he notched a career-high 9.5 sacks.

Cook and Oliver were the only players inactive from Monday night’s game due to injury; McDermott also told reporters on Tuesday that there was “nothing significant" on the injury front with regard to Week 6, meaning that Buffalo—which has been fighting the injury bug all season—may finally be nearing some semblance of full health.

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