The Buffalo Bills are set to face the New England Patriots on “Sunday Night Football” with a significant change in their roster, as they will be relying on their third punter in just five weeks. Current punter Cameron Johnston is sidelined due to foot and ankle injuries sustained during the Bills’ recent 31-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Johnston received a penalty for roughing the punter, which led to concerns about his condition after he returned to hold for a field goal attempt wearing a sleeve on his left leg.
Head coach Sean McDermott confirmed on Monday that Johnston will miss some time and indicated that the team will explore options to bring in new punters ahead of the game against New England. One potential candidate is Brad Robbins, who previously served as the team’s punter before being released following some subpar performances in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.
In addition to Robbins, the Bills may consider Ryan Stonehouse and Matthew Hayball, both of whom participated in tryouts after Week 1. Stonehouse, 26, has experience as the punter for the Tennessee Titans and boasts an impressive career punting average of 52.2 yards. However, his net punting average suffered last season due to two blocked punts. Meanwhile, Hayball, 28, played for the New Orleans Saints in 2024 and averaged 44 yards per punt over the season.
As the Bills look for stability in their punting game, the upcoming matchup with the Patriots will test the team’s adaptability and resilience. Despite the challenges of losing a key player like Johnston, the Bills remain focused on maintaining their competitive edge in the league.