Injured Bills WR DJ Moore's Return Against Ravens Isn't Guaranteed

The Buffalo Bills made the difficult decision to sit DJ Moore for their last two games, hoping the extra time would help the wide receiver recover from a shoulder injury. Coming out of the bye week, however, Buffalo still doesn't know whether Moore will be ready to return against the Baltimore Ravens.

Moore was sidelined for the Bills' wins over the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders after dealing with an AC joint sprain in his shoulder. The injury happened in the team's Week 2 game against Detroit and never fully healed. So, the decision to hold him out for two consecutive games gave him additional time to recover rather than risk making the issue worse.

He also had the bye week as an extra week of recovery.

Speaking with the media on Wednesday, head coach Joe Brady said the decision wasn't easy for Moore, who has built a reputation as a player who doesn't miss games. But the Bills believed sitting him was the right move for his long-term health.

“DJ, obviously, getting an opportunity to kind of know DJ and his personality, and he's as tough as they come,” Brady said. “It was tough, him not playing in those games.”

Brady added that the decision was made with the rest of the season in mind.

“We know the importance that he brings to our football team, to our offense, the toughness, the playmaking ability,” Brady said. “And it was obviously frustrating for him. But for him it was the best thing to do.”

Moore's production has been limited by the injury and his time away from the field. In four games, Moore has 12 catches for 178 yards and a touchdown. Should he play the final 11 games, he's currently on pace for the lowest yardage total of his career, though it's unlikely he would continue to average just 44.5 yards per game if heathy.

And getting him back will give Josh Allen his number-one receiver and a proven option in the passing game. The Bills brought Moore in to be a major part of their offense, and his ability to make plays after the catch and create opportunities downfield added a dimension to an offense that they haven't had since trading Stefon Diggs.

There is still some uncertainty about when that will happen, though.

Moore returned to practice Wednesday as Buffalo began its preparation for Baltimore, but he was limited and wore a red non-contact jersey. While getting back on the field is an encouraging step, he still needs to progress through the week before his status for Sunday's game becomes clearer.

The Bills have reason to be cautious after sitting Moore for the previous two games. With the Ravens up next, Buffalo would benefit from having him available, but the team will need to determine whether he is ready to handle a full game.

That'll come as practices continue throughout the rest of the week.