Bills elevate Sherfield as Allen faces Stafford and Rams on Monday night

Josh Allen and the Bills visit Matthew Stafford and the Rams on Monday night with Buffalo’s receiver depth already reshaped before kickoff. The Bills elevated Trent Sherfield Sr. from the practice squad Monday, while rookie Skyler Bell is set for his first NFL appearance with Joshua Palmer ruled out.

Buffalo enters the game 3-1 after its first loss of the season. Los Angeles is 2-2. Kickoff at SoFi Stadium is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. Eastern on ESPN and ABC, with an additional broadcast on ESPN2.

Palmer hurt his shoulder in Friday’s practice. Coach Joe Brady said Saturday that the team was still determining the severity of the injury. DJ Moore was ruled inactive Monday with a shoulder injury after entering the game-day decision as questionable.

Bell has been preparing for the chance. Brady said the rookie took some of Moore’s work during the week, giving him practice repetitions with Allen before Palmer’s absence created an opening. The Bills drafted Bell in the fourth round after he scored 13 touchdowns in his final season at UConn.

Bell’s opportunity also led Monday’s Locked On Bills Hit preview, where Christian Rauh argued for a larger role for the rookie.

The rookie’s debut and Sherfield’s elevation provide options at receiver. Buffalo’s inactive list confirmed that Moore and Palmer would be unavailable; the rookie’s debut and Sherfield’s elevation supplied receiver depth.

Buffalo also ruled defensive lineman Ed Oliver out with a knee injury. Cornerback Dee Alford and defensive lineman Landon Jackson were also inactive after carrying questionable designations. Christian Benford is expected to return from the toe injury that kept him out last week, with Maxwell Hairston starting opposite him, according to Brady.

Monday’s roster moves included signing cornerback Anthony Kendall to the active roster, releasing outside linebacker Mike Danna and elevating defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis. Those changes give Buffalo additional defensive options heading into the game.

The Rams have a different set of availability developments. Aaron Donald, Colby Parkinson and Jaylen Watson finished the week without game-status designations, clearing the way for their returns. Safety Quentin Lake entered Monday with a questionable designation because of a hip injury but was not on the Rams’ official game-day inactive list.

The matchup pairs two established quarterbacks, with Buffalo working around injuries on both sides of the ball. The receiver availability decisions left Buffalo without Moore and Palmer.

Buffalo also lost right tackle Spencer Brown during the game. The Bills downgraded him to out with a back injury at 10:37 p.m. Eastern; Tylan Grable replaced him at right tackle. No timetable for a return was announced in the team’s update.

Sources

Bell prepares for his NFL debut · Monday roster moves · Final injury report · Donald, Parkinson and Watson cleared · ESPN: Bills-Rams game information · Bills game-day inactives · Spencer Brown injury update · Rams game-day inactives