The Buffalo Bills received a welcome late-morning boost ahead of their Week 8 home matchup against the Baltimore Ravens when word arrived that wide receiver D.J. Moore is expected to play.
After missing the past two games with a lingering left shoulder injury, the veteran was listed as questionable throughout the week following limited practice sessions.
Hours before kickoff at Highmark Stadium, however, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Moore is expected to suit up against Baltimore, barring any last-minute setback.
For a team sitting at 5-1 and atop the AFC East, the return of a proven outside receiver gives quarterback Josh Allen a valuable weapon as Buffalo looks to keep rolling.
Moore’s shoulder issues date to Week 2, when he suffered an AC joint sprain against the Detroit Lions. He returned the following week but re-aggravated the problem in the first half of Buffalo’s Week 4 loss to the New England Patriots.
The Bills then opted for caution, holding him out of the subsequent games against the Rams and Raiders before the bye week. The extra recovery time appears to have paid off.
Moore, who is in the middle of a $110 million contract he initially signed with the Chicago Bears, practiced on a limited basis each of the three days leading into the Ravens game while wearing a non-contact jersey, and the late confirmation of his availability marks a clear positive for an offense that has largely managed without him.
In his first season with Buffalo after arriving via trade from the Bears, Moore has been limited by the injury.
He has 12 receptions for 178 yards and one touchdown in four games, highlighted by a strong Week 1 outing of five catches for 100 yards and a score against Houston.
When healthy, he has shown the ability to win outside and stretch the field, traits that align well with Allen’s deep-ball tendencies.
Getting him back into the lineup provides another layer for an attack that already ranks among the league’s more efficient units.
The timing is especially helpful against a Ravens defense that has allowed the third-most receiving yards to wide receivers this season.
Baltimore’s secondary, featuring outside corners Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins, has been inconsistent, and Moore’s presence adds a dimension the Bills have lacked in recent weeks.
While the final inactive list will confirm everything closer to kickoff, the expectation that Moore will play represents an unexpected lift for Buffalo as it hosts a Ravens squad trying to steady itself at 4-3.
For the Bills, it is another piece falling into place as they push for continued success in a competitive AFC.
