The Buffalo Bills had their first padded practice of training camp on Monday, and didn’t get out of it unscathed.
The team has already been dealing with a series of minor injuries, and saw key defensive lineman Deone Walker go down on Monday. Though the extent of the injury was not yet known, it’s a blow for a team undergoing some major changes in the offseason.
Deone Walker Knocked Out of Monday Practice
As reporter Randy Gurzi of SI.com noted, Walker was seen getting medical attention during Monday’s practice.
“Deone Walker was a breakout star as a rookie and is expected to take his game to a new level under Jim Leonhard,” Gurzi wrote. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see him in action when the pads came on. Instead, Walker was seen working with the trainers on the sideline, and while there was no update on what happened, a sleeve on his left arm suggests that’s where he was injured.”
Reporter Alex Brasky noted that the Bills had a surprising replacement ready, with former practice squad member Phidarian Mathis taking snaps in his place and not former third-round pick DeWayne Carter.
“Phidarian Mathis was first in line to replace the injured Deone Walker on Monday at Bills training camp Mathis quietly had a good year in 2025 despite seeing limited action,” Brasky wrote on X. “Mathis over DeWayne Carter, who made the move inside to nose tackle, is an interesting development”
Deone Walker Could Play Big Role in 2026
There is no indication that Walker could be dealing with a long-term injury, and he could be headed to a significant role with the team. The Bills are shifting to a new 3-4 base defense under defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, who said this spring that Walker could play nose tackle.
Leonhard also mentioned Carter as a potential nose tackle candidate, noting that each player could be asked to play the role a bit differently.
“Right now, there’s a number of players that we’re repping in that position,” Leonhard said, via the team’s official website. “Whether you’re a zero, a shade â the techniques that you can use â there’s a lot of different ways to get it done. And it might be a little bit on an individual basis on who’s in there and what we’re going to ask them to do.”
Leonhard added that the new scheme could unlock defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who appeared headed for an All-Pro season in 2025 before losing a long stretch due to injury.
“I think Ed’s going to be really disruptive in this defense,” Leonhard said. “The base defense being more different for him than what it’s been in the past, and in all reality, a little bit more freedom than he’s had in the past. The sub package things are a little bit more familiar to what they’ve done here from a front structure.”
Leonhard added that he would be taking a more aggressive approach to putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, an area where the Bills often struggled under former head coach Sean McDermott.
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