He’s out for the season, but how bad is Bills’ Micah Hyde’s injury?
They’ve got the cover, but the star safety’s absence will most definitely be missed heading into Week 3 of the season.
It would appear that Monday’s victory over the Titans was costly for both teams in terms of personnel. With news confirming that the Bills’ safety is finished for this campaign, the team must now look for cover.
Bills’ Micah Hyde will miss the rest of the season, but who steps in?
According to reports on Saturday, Buffalo Bills safety Micah Hyde been placed on injured reserve. The move comes as a result of a herniated disc in his neck and means that Hyde will in fact miss the remainder of the season. With that, the Bills can only hope that he will be able to make a full recovery in time for the 2023 season. Forced off the field late in the second half of his team’s win against the Titans, the 31-year-old was actually able to walk off the field, but was later carted to the locker room.
In Hyde’s absence, the Bills will be expected to start Jaquan Johnson, however, don’t be surprised if we see them giving Damar Hamlin some minutes on the field as well. Worth mentioning, is the fact that the Bills also saw their other safety, Jordan Poyer, sit out Thursday’s session as well. It is understood, that Poyer will in fact miss the Week 3 clash with the 2-0 Miami Dolphins, due to the foot injury with which he is struggling.
How bad is Michah Hyde’s injury?
While the probability that he will require surgery remains low according to John Hopkins Medicine, closer examination of Hyde’s injury does not make for pleasant reading. To hear their website tell it, a herniated disc occurs when, “...the fragments of disc material can then press on the nerve roots located just behind the disk space. This can cause pain, weakness, numbness, or changes in sensation.” As mentioned before, the resource indicates that the majority of such problems do not require surgery, with a number of non-invasive treatments available.
What have the Bills lost in Micah Hyde?
To put things in perspective, Hyde joined the Bills in 2017 and since that time has gone on to be selected twice to the second-team All Pro and once for the Pro Bowl. That’s to say that the Bills have definitely taken a blow to their defense with the loss of their safety. On the other hand, this team has allowed just 17 points in their first two games and put 72 on the board. While it’s true that Hyde was a major part of that stinginess, expect the Bills to come out firing in Week 3.