The Buffalo Bills' quest toward a Super Bowl title in 2022 will have to be done without one of their defensive leaders.
Safety Micah Hyde (neck) is being placed on injured reserve on Saturday and will miss the rest of the season, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports, per Hyde's agent Jack Bechta.
The Bills have since announced Hyde's placement on IR.
"Unfortunately, client Micah Hyde will be put on IR today due to his recent neck injury," Bechta tweeted Saturday. "Fortunately, we expect a healthy return for No. 23 in 2023."
Hyde sustained the neck injury during Monday night's win over the Tennessee Titans, which forced an early exit he did not return from. Hyde had already been ruled out for Week 3.
Dealing with Hyde's absence will be a new problem for the Bills defense. The 10-year veteran has missed just two games over the course of his five seasons in Buffalo, and his rapport with Jordan Poyer made for one of the NFL's best safety tandems.
Hyde amassed 257 tackles, 14 interceptions, 35 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one defensive touchdown in 79 starts for the Bills since landing in Buffalo ahead of the 2017 season.
Fourth-year safety Jaquan Johnson is expected to start in Hyde's place, NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reports. Johnson, 26, has appeared in 46 games since arriving as a sixth-round pick in 2019 and found an INT during his first career start last season.
The loss of Hyde continues what has been an injury-laden start to the season for a Bills secondary that has two rookies, Kaiir Elam and Christian Benford, starting at cornerback. Dane Jackson (neck) figures to be out for an extended period of time after sustaining a scary injury on Monday night, and the return of top cover man Tre'Davious White awaits as he continues to rehab an ACL tear from last year.
While there is a silver lining with Hyde expected to make a full recovery for next season, the Bills lose a prominent voice in the back end of a stellar defense.
The Bills (2-0) go on the road to face the Miami Dolphins (2-0) on Sunday.
