Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer is not playing in the AFC Divisional Round against the Denver Broncos because his season has officially ended. Palmer was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury ahead of Buffalo’s Wild Card matchup. This removed him from the postseason picture despite his availability being in question late in the week.
Why Joshua Palmer Was Placed on Injured Reserve?
Palmer was downgraded to out on Saturday and later placed on injured reserve, ending his season before the Bills’ Wild Card game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team decided after Palmer missed practice all week while dealing with a lingering ankle injury.
Although Palmer was initially listed as questionable, Buffalo opted to shut Palmer down after determining the injury would limit his effectiveness. The ankle issue had lingered for much of the 2025 season, stemming from knee and ankle injuries suffered in a Week 6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Palmer missed five games during the regular season due to those injuries but returned to play in Week 18 against the New York Jets, logging 84 percent of offensive snaps. He reaggravated the ankle injury following that game and was held out of practice the following week before being placed on IR.
The decision proved costly in hindsight. Had the Bills known that receivers Gabe Davis and Tyrell Shavers would suffer season-ending injuries shortly after.
How Joshua Palmer’s Absence Impacts the Bills’ Receiver Depth
Palmer’s season-ending injury, combined with torn ACLs suffered by Davis and Shavers in the Wild Card round, has significantly thinned Buffalo’s receiving corps entering the Divisional Round. He finished the 2025 regular season with 22 receptions for 303 yards on 37 targets across 12 games.
With Palmer unavailable, the Bills’ healthy wide receivers against Denver are Khalil Shakir, Brandin Cooks, and Keon Coleman, with Curtis Samuel activated from injured reserve to bolster the group. Coleman, a second-year receiver, is expected to be active as Buffalo adjusts to a reduced rotation.
Quarterback Josh Allen remains the engine of Buffalo’s offense and gives the Bills a chance to win despite injuries at wide receiver. His ability to create outside structure and sustain drives should keep the Bills in the game on Saturday.
Palmer’s absence removes a versatile option from Buffalo’s offense at a critical time, leaving the Bills to rely on a reshuffled receiver group as they attempt to advance in the postseason.
