Bills place kicker Tyler Bass on injured reserve two days before season opener
Hip and groin ailment will sideline Bass for at least four games; veteran Matt Prater signed to assume kicking duties ahead of Ravens matchup
The Buffalo Bills placed kicker Tyler Bass on injured reserve on Friday, the team announced, ruling him out for at least the first four games of the regular season because of a hip and groin ailment. The move came two days before Buffalo opens the season against the Baltimore Ravens.
The club signed veteran kicker Matt Prater on Thursday and elevated him to handle kicking duties while Bass is sidelined. The decision ends Bass’s availability for the immediate slate of games and gives the Bills a veteran option as they begin the season.
Bass has been Buffalo’s primary kicker since winning the job in 2020. Last season he converted 24 of 29 field-goal attempts and made 59 of 64 extra-point tries. In November, he set a franchise record with a 61-yard field goal against the Miami Dolphins.
Under current NFL rules, a player placed on injured reserve must miss at least four games, after which a team can designate the player to return if medically cleared. The Bills did not provide a specific timetable beyond the minimum absence tied to the IR designation.
The roster change arrives as Buffalo prepares to open the season against a Baltimore team that last season finished among the league’s top defensive units. The Bills entered the season with high expectations and Super Bowl aspirations, and the kicking change represents a notable adjustment to special teams plans just before kickoff.
Prater, a veteran NFL kicker, was signed Thursday and will assume placekicking responsibilities immediately. The Bills did not release an extended comment on Bass’s injury or the team’s long-term plans for the kicking position beyond the roster move and Prater’s signing.
Bass’s placement on injured reserve follows a preseason that included standard evaluations and injury monitoring for all teams. The Bills’ medical staff will oversee his rehabilitation and determine eligibility to return under league rules and team protocols.
Buffalo’s opening-day roster moves, including the signing of Prater and Bass’s IR placement, will be reflected on the active roster for Sunday’s game in Baltimore. The club may make further roster adjustments depending on game-day needs and Bass’s recovery progress.
The Bills have relied on consistency from their special teams unit in recent seasons, and the club will look to Prater to provide stability while Bass recovers. Any updates to Bass’s status or the kicking situation are expected to come from the Bills’ communications as new information becomes available.