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Will Amari Cooper play Sunday? McDermott provides update on wide receiver's injury status

sal maiorana, rochester democrat and chronicle
·2 min read

ORCHARD PARK - Newly-acquired wide receiver Amari Cooper has been a limited participant in Buffalo Bills practice this week, and coach Sean McDermott said Friday that he will be listed as questionable for Sunday’s showdown against the Miami Dolphins.

UPDATE: The Bills received some troubling news Sunday as both wide receiver Amari Cooper and cornerback Christian Benford - who were listed as questionable - are not going to play against the Dolphins. Cooper got hurt last week in Seattle, while Benford suffered his injury during the practice week and was a limited participant, but it looked like both were going to be able to play.

How was Amari Cooper injured?

Cooper suffered a wrist injury in last week’s 31-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, a game in which he played 38 snaps but was targeted just twice and caught one for three yards.

The week before in his debut against the Titans after coming to Buffalo in a trade from Cleveland, Cooper played 19 snaps and caught four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Buffalo Bills' Amari Cooper runs toward the end zone with the ball during the second half at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Oct. 20, 2024. The midseason trade for the wide receiver has paid instant dividends for the Bills.
Buffalo Bills' Amari Cooper runs toward the end zone with the ball during the second half at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Oct. 20, 2024. The midseason trade for the wide receiver has paid instant dividends for the Bills.

Who is Amari Cooper's backup?

If the Bills do not have Cooper and wide receiver Curtis Samuel - who missed the Seahawks game with a pectoral muscle injury and will also be questionable Sunday - their depth is seriously compromised. Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Mack Hollins will be expected to carry the burden, and the Bills would probably have to elevate a wide receiver from the practice squad.

Teams can elevate players three times from their practice squad, and the Bills earlier this season used one elevation on Tyrell Shavers and one on Jalen Virgil. Shavers played 16 snaps against Houston, the game Shakir missed; Virgil played 11 snaps in Seattle when Samuel was sidelined.

Wide receivers KJ Hamler and Deon Cain are also on the Bills practice squad, Cain having just re-signed this week after he was with the Bills in training camp.

Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for four decades including 35 years as the full-time beat writer for the D&C, and he has written numerous books about the history of the team. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana. https://profile.democratandchronicle.com/newsletters/bills-blast

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Amari Cooper injury update: Will WR play Sunday vs Dolphins?