ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- A Buffalo Bills defense that has dealt with a variety of injuries this season has yet another as starting nickel cornerback Taron Johnson was added to the team's injury report on Friday and is now questionable for Sunday's game vs. the Kansas City Chiefs.
Johnson was limited in Friday's practice with a groin injury. If he can't go, the team's primary backup nickel has been veteran Cam Lewis.
The Bills are already down multiple defensive players for Sunday's big matchup (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS) as they try to slow down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, including both starting defensive tackles. Ed Oliver (left biceps) is out indefinitely, while DaQuan Jones (left calf) has been ruled out of what will be his third straight game missed.
Buffalo will also be without linebacker Shaq Thompson (hamstring), who has played an important role this season. Coach Sean McDermott said that Thompson's injury was lingering and resurfaced at practice. On the offensive side, wide receiver Joshua Palmer (knee/ankle) has also been ruled out.
The good news for the linebacker room is that starters Terrel Bernard (ankle) and Matt Milano (pectoral) were both full participants at practice all week and have no injury designation for the game. Kicker Matt Prater (right calf) also doesn't carry an injury designation and is set to play after being limited in practice all week.
The other injury update for Buffalo on Friday is that starting safety Taylor Rapp is likely out for the rest of the season after he was placed on injured reserve last week with a knee injury that stemmed from training camp. McDermott didn't want to say definitively that he's done for the year, but that it is likely headed that way.
"[Rapp] just had the surgery. He had surgery two days ago or a day ago," McDermott said. "So, at this point it's probably, I'm not a doctor, but from what I'm hearing it's probably not until next year at this point."
Veteran Jordan Poyer primarily took starting snaps in Rapp's place last week with rookie Jordan Hancock coming in on some third downs.
