ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills placed running back Damien Harris on injured reserve Friday due to a neck injury that required him to spend a night in the hospital.
Coach Sean McDermott had said this week that Harris was still experiencing soreness in his neck. The fifth-year player is in the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Harris lay motionless after his head struck the shoulder of Giants linebacker Bobby Okereke during Buffalo’s 14-9 win last Sunday night.
He was placed on an immobilizing board and flashed a thumbs-up sign with his left hand before being loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital for testing.
Harris had motion in his arms and legs, and was released from the hospital a day later.
The Bills (4-2) also ruled out defensive tackle Ed Oliver from playing at New England (1-5) on Sunday. Oliver has a toe injury and did not practice this week. Buffalo will miss both starting defensive tackles with DaQuan Jones on injured reserve after tearing a pectoral muscle two weeks ago.
Backup tight end Quintin Morris (ankle) was also ruled out.
BROWNS: Deshaun Watson’s official status for Sunday’s game at Indianapolis is questionable, but nothing looked uncertain about Cleveland’s quarterback on Friday.
Watson fired passes with his usual velocity during his second straight practice, and is expected to start when the Browns visit the Colts. He has missed two games with a strained right shoulder.
However, Coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn’t fully commit to Watson starting for the first time in nearly a month after hurting the rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder in a Sept. 24 win over Tennessee.
“I want to see how he responds over the next 48 hours based on that full workload that he just got,” Stefanski said. “But he looked good today.”
GIANTS: Quarterback Daniel Jones is questionable with a neck injury for New York’s game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
Tyrod Taylor will start if Jones isn’t ready to go. He started in Sunday’s 14-9 loss to the Buffalo Bills, twice missing out on chances to score from the 1-yard line.
Jones was injured two weeks ago in a 31-16 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
n Wide receiver Cole Beasley asked for his release from the Giants’ practice squad and got his wish.
Beasley, a close friend of Coach Brian Daboll, and the Giants are parting ways after he asked for his release and the team granted it, according to reports.
BEARS: Quarterback Justin Fields is not expected to need surgery for his dislocated right thumb, Coach Matt Eberflus said Friday, but as expected, Fields was ruled out for Sunday’s game against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders (3-3).
Undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent will start for Chicago (1-5).
STEELERS: Pittsburgh tight end Pat Freiermuth will miss his second straight game after aggravating a hamstring injury.
The Steelers (3-2) downgraded Freiermuth to out for Sunday’s visit to the Los Angeles Rams (3-3). Freiermuth initially tweaked the hamstring against Houston on Oct. 1 and sat out an Oct. 8 win against Baltimore.
Outside linebacker T.J. Watt is expected to play after not practicing Thursday due to a heel injury.
RAMS: Cornerback Derion Kendrick could play on Sunday, less than a week after being arrested and charged with two gun offenses.
Kendrick returned to practice Friday, and Coach Sean McVay described the second-year pro as “remorseful and regretful” for the disturbance he caused to the Rams (3-3). McVay said he hasn’t decided whether Kendrick, who has started every game this season, will suit up when Los Angeles hosts Pittsburgh (3-2) on Sunday.
SEAHAWKS: Safety Jamal Adams has been fined $50,000 for directing “verbal remarks’’ and making “inappropriate physical contact’’ with an independent concussion doctor during an evaluation of a teammate in Sunday’s game at Cincinnati, a league source confirmed to The Seattle Times.
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