Bills rule out two DEs, elevate two P-Squad players for Sunday vs. Cardinals

The Buffalo Bills will be without Javon Solomon and Dawuane Smoot in their September 8 season opener at Highmark Stadium.

Ralph Ventre | Sep 7, 2024

Panthers quarterback Bryce Young gets chased down by Bills Javon Solomon during the first half of the preseason game against Carolina Panthers at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Aug. 24, 2024. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

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The Buffalo Bills will lack defensive end depth during Sunday's season opener against the Arizona Cardinals at Highmark Stadium.

After fifth-round rookie edge rusher Javon Solomon was ruled out on Friday with an oblique injury, the Bills downgraded veteran Dawuane Smoot from questionable to out.

Solomon did not practice this past week while Smoot did not pop up on the injury report until Friday due to a toe injury. Their absences will mean Casey Toohill is likely to seeing increased action in the defensive ends rotation in Week 1.

Defensive end Kameron Cline will dress to provide another option at the position. The Bills elevated Cline and interior offensive lineman Will Clapp from the Practice Squad for Sunday's game. Practice Squad players are limited to three gameday elevations over the course of the regular season.

Cline, who made five career appearances as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts, spent the entire 2023 campaign on Buffalo's P-Squad. He last played a regular season games in 2022.

Clapp, who signed with the Bills in free agency this past offseason, made 14 appearances, including 11 starts for the Los Angeles Chargers last year. The 2018 seventh-round draft pick, who came up with the New Orleans Saints, has experience at center and guard.

Meanwhile, the four other Bills' players who appeared on the Week 1 injury report have been cleared for the game, including wide receiver Curtis Samuel and backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky.

The Bills and the Cardinals will kick off at 1:00 pm ET today on September 8 in a game carried live by CBS.

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