The Buffalo Bills have been getting healthier as the NFL playoffs approach, getting some key players back on defense while others move past lingering injuries.

But the team could be without one key player as they take the field against the Denver Broncos in Sunday’s wild-card round. Return specialist Brandon Codrington was hurt while fielding a punt in the season finale loss to the New England Patriots and has been listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, and the wintry weather expected at kickoff could compound the issue for the Bills.

Key Player Faces Uncertain Status

Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Codrington would be listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, with the team noting that he was not able to practice in full at all this week.

“Codrington didn’t practice Wednesday but got in a limited practice Thursday. McDermott added that Codrington will be limited Friday as well,” the team noted on its official website.

If Codrington is unable to play, the Bills could turn to running backs Ty Johnson and Ray Davis as potential returners. Both took turns returning kicks this season, but Codrington was the team’s primary return specialist, averaging 11.6 yards on punt returns and 27.8 yards per kickoff.

McDermott said the team would need to find a contingency plan if Codrington isn’t healthy enough to play.

“He’s been our primary return guy all year so we’ll deal with it,” McDermott said, via the Democrat & Chronicle. “We’ll figure it out one way or the other. If he can go, great. If he can’t, then we’ll figure something out.”

Codrington told reporters this week that he was able to get in some work at practice fielding kicks but did not participate on defense, where he rarely plays.

“I feel good, you know, just working it day by day. Just catching punts honestly,” Codrington said. “I didn’t do anything defensively. So just catching punts. That’s kind of the norm for me.”

The Bills could face a challenge due to the weather, with snow in the forecast leading up to Sunday’s 1 p.m. kickoff time and temperatures hovering around the freezing mark during the game. The slippery conditions could make the kicking game difficult, especially if the Bills are forced to turn to one of their less-experienced returners.

The Bills made a big investment in Codrington just before the start of the season, landing the rookie cornerback and return specialist in a trade with the New York Jets. Codrington flashed his potential in the preseason, returning a kickoff for 63 yards against the Carolina Panthers.

Bills Healthy as Playoffs Start

The Bills had no other players carrying injury designations for Sunday’s game against the Broncos, though reserve cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram had missed a pair of practices this week.

They got a number of key players back from injuries down the final stretch of the season, including linebacker Matt Milano. Quarterback Josh Allen has also recovered from a broken left hand that he suffered during a touchdown run in Week 1, an injury that forced him to wear a protective glove the rest of the season.