Bills CB Taron Johnson provides update on injury and hopeful return date

Buffalo Bills nickel cornerback Taron Johnson has spoken about when he'll hopefully return to the field.

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Buffalo Bills defensive back Taron Johnson has missed all but seven snaps of the 2024 NFL season after picking up a forearm injury in the first quarter of his team’s Week 1 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The reigning second-team All-Pro nickel cornerback recently caught up with The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, telling the reporter that he suffered a “crack” of his forearm.

Buscaglia notes that the recovery timeline for such an ailment is typically four-to-six weeks; Johnson has already missed two games with his injury and has been ruled out for Buffalo’s Week 4 clash with the Baltimore Ravens. Johnson told Buscaglia that he hopes to be back in time for the Bills’ Week 5 meeting with the Houston Texans, but that he wasn’t yet sure if he would be ready in time for the hotly anticipated matchup.

Related: Bills vs. Ravens: 5 keys to victory in NFL Week 4

The Bills did not initially rule out placing Johnson on injured reserve but ultimately decided against doing so ahead of its Week 2 game against the Miami Dolphins, which would have been the most opportune time to do so; placing Johnson on IR ahead of Week 2 would have made him ineligible until at least Week 6, implying that the team (at least initially) felt he would be cleared to return before that game. The optimistic timeline Johnson shared with Buscaglia would suggest that this is still the internal belief.

Johnson is coming off a 2023 campaign in which he tallied a career-high 98 total tackles alongside three forced fumbles, earning his first career All-Pro nod thanks to his stellar play. Cam Lewis has largely filled in for the defender in his absence, recording 22 tackles through parts of three games; Ja’Marcus Ingram has also seen an increase in playing time in lieu of Johnson, notching four pass deflections and two interceptions.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Johnson's knock is just one of several key injuries Buffalo is currently working through on the second level of its defense, as linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard are currently sidelined with bicep and pectoral injuries, respectively. Dorian Williams and Baylon Spector have filled in for the two; it looks as though Johnson could join these two young linebackers in the lineup sooner rather than later.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI —

More Buffalo Bills News:

• 5 stats you'll want to know from Bills' dominant 47-10 win over Jaguars

• Josh Allen reacts to praise from LeBron James, wants him to join Bills’ offense

• Bills HC explains WR Keon Coleman's surprising first-quarter absence vs. Jaguars

• Bills DE Von Miller's emotional reaction to tying legendary LB on all-time sack list

• Bills HC reveals Week 4 statuses, IR chances for Taron Johnson and Terrel Bernard