With the Bills clinching the #2 seed last week, there has been reasonable speculation that most starters will rest. The game in Foxboro on Sunday allows the Bills to assess their depth while their main stars lick their wounds during their “bye” week before battling in the Wild Card round. Although nothing has been confirmed, numerous backups will likely have a tremendous opportunity to show their talent to the Bills and 31 other organizations. These five Bills have the most at stake in Week 18.
Player #1: Mitch Trubisky
Photo Credits: Icon Sportswire
For what was a shaky preseason for the former second-overall pick, Trubisky has done well in spot duty. The 30-year-old went 4/5 for 78 yards and a touchdown thus far. With the spotlight now on the vet, it’s Trubisky’s time to show the organization that he can be a long-term backup for Josh Allen.
Player #2: DeWayne Carter
Photo Credits: Doug Murray/AP
The Bills 2024 third-round pick has shown some flashes of being a disruptive 3-technique. After being injured for a month, Carter finally was active for last week’s outing against the Jets. He took the place of Austin Johnson who was a healthy scratch. McDermott has recently stated that the team is still looking for their five best defensive tackles. A strong week 18 outing for Carter could be the difference between a healthy scratch in the playoffs and seeing rotational playtime.
Player #3: Javon Solomon
Photo Credits: Adrian Kraus/AP
Like Carter, Solomon has shown flashes of stellar play in his rookie season. Coming out of college, the fifth-round pick had the most collegiate sacks (32) of all draft-eligible edge rushers since 2021. Solomon has only two sacks this season but has played only 9% of defensive snaps. With Solomon recently overstepping Casey Toohill on the depth chart, week 18 could show things to come for the pass rusher.
Player #4: Joe Andreessen
Photo Credits: WKBW
After only playing a quarter last Sunday, the Lancaster native was Buffalo’s leading tackler (8). Although the tackle category is a fun stat, it can often be misleading. Andreessen was beaten multiple times by Jets tight end Tyler Conklin, which contributed to his tackles. The linebacker has been versatile on special teams all season and now has an opportunity to continue his long-shot story with a strong outing against New England.
Player #5: Kaiir Elam
Photo Credits: Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP
It has been a disappointing start to the Bills’ 2022 first-round pick career. Of the 49 games since Elam was drafted, he has played in just 28 of them and has only started 11. Many of the absences have seen Elam as a healthy scratch. Elam is teetering “bust” territory and desperately needs a spark in his career. Week 18 could play a major role in Elam’s future with the team.
As the regular season is set to conclude, it’s easy to label week 18 as a bye week for the Bills starters. This is an incredible opportunity for the backups and younger players and could be a career-altering game.