Joey Bosa is already hurt.
The new Bills pass rusher went down with a calf injury last week and is expected to be out until training camp, Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott told reporters on Tuesday.
“He’ll be out for more than likely the foreseeable springtime at least and then we’ll get into training camp,” McDermott said. “He should be able to go by training camp. Understand it just happened late last week, so we’re still in kind of the exploratory phase of what that’s going to mean.
“Joey was off to a good start before that, so it’s unfortunate to see him go down. But it offers someone else an opportunity to step up and get some quality reps for us as we move forward.”
Bosa, 29, is one of the top defensive players in the NFL when healthy but injuries have limited him to just 28 games over the last three seasons.
“Listen, it is concerning,” McDermott said. “Durability, availability are key ties to our roster. We basically look ahead in terms of what he’s doing now, which is getting himself the treatment that he needs and he’s working hard at it. That’s all he can control right now.
“We get him back when we get him back, probably at this point, training camp. We’re gonna do the best job we can — and I know he is as well — and just take it one day at a time.”
The five-time Pro Bowler signed a one-year, $12.6 million deal with the Bills in March after spending the first nine seasons of his career with the Chargers.
After signing with Buffalo, Bosa admitted that “it’s been a tough last few years” for him as far as injuries are concerned, but vowed to compete at a “high level” when firing on all cylinders.
“I know winning is obviously a huge part of it, but I think I have a lot to prove to people, but mostly just myself. That I can prove to myself that I know the kind of player that I am, and I know I’ve had some good moments over the last few years, but it’s about putting it all together throughout the whole season and being available for my team,” Bosa said.
Bosa broke his hand before last season and dealt with a glute strain during the year, but still recorded 17 solo tackles and five sacks across 14 games.
