Here's the Bills news of note for Oct. 31st.
**1 - Alexander: I've had this injury before
**The league's leading pass rusher left Buffalo's game Sunday with a hamstring injury. The severity of the injury was not known postgame, but it was enough to keep Lorenzo Alexander from returning to the Bills Week 8 game against New England.
Alexander did provide an outlook on his playing availability moving forward.
"We'll see," said Alexander. "Obviously, I've got to come in (Monday) again and get treatment. I've got eight days to recover. I've had something similar to this before and was able to play the next week, so I'm confident in our training staff and myself to get ready and help this defense next week to beat Seattle."
Brandon Tate (concussion protocol) and Reggie Bush (groin) also sustained injuries in Sunday's loss to New England.
Those who were unable to play Sunday due to injury were Marquise Goodwin (concussion protocol), LeSean McCoy (hamstring) and Aaron Williams (neck).
Head coach Rex Ryan said he wasn't sure if McCoy would be ready to return to the lineup on Monday Night Football in Seattle.
"Next week the fact that it's Monday we get another day," Ryan said. "Hopefully he will be (good to go), but I'm not sure."
2 - Trade market realistic?Bills GM Doug Whaley did say in a radio interview last week that the NFL trade market could loosen up today after teams assess the state of their rosters and their chances for the postseason at the season's midpoint.
Buffalo lost another receiver to injury in Brandon Tate on Sunday, who is now in the concussion protocol. They had just three healthy receivers by game's end and that fact was debatable knowing that Robert Woods is playing hurt.
So how realistic is a trade with deadline day fast approaching?
"I think what we do a good job of is we turn over every rock. We're looking at not just receiver, but wherever we can make our team better, we'll certainly do that," said Rex Ryan. "Doug and I are always in communication and Rob (Ryan) and guys. The trading thing and I get it where fans want to trade for Randy Moss. But you have to have a dance partner and it has to be reasonable. In the NFL trades don't happen. We can say they do, but it's very rare that they happen."
The Bills also don't have a ton of cap space so the caliber of player they could add, presumably at a need position like wide receiver, appears somewhat limited.
"We have the flexibility if we want to make a move, but it depends on how large that move is," said Whaley. "Obviously we don't have the cap room to take on a giant cap hit. But if there's something out there I think we have enough cap space where we'd be able to squeeze a guy in."
However, Whaley cautions that there are additional factors to consider when talking trade.
"Even if you bring in someone via trade they're going to need some time to get up to speed," said Whaley. "This is a time where we think our backups have to step up. So it's time for them to take the bull by the horns and show that they can play in this league and contribute."
Buffalo would have the benefit of the bye week after their Monday Night game at Seattle for a new player to get up to speed. But it sounds like they don't believe a golden opportunity that works with their cap situation is going to present itself.
"We're not opposed to doing any move that can get us 'W's and that's the bottom line," said Whaley. "But we also have to be prudent and not jam ourselves up in the future."
3 - Taylor passes FlutieTyrod Taylor had his third rushing touchdown of the season Sunday in the loss to New England. It came from 26 yards out in the first half. That run moved Taylor into third place on the Bills all-time quarterback rushing list with 887 rushing yards with Buffalo.
Taylor moved past Doug Flutie (885) on the all-time list for the third spot. The Bills starting QB trails only Jim Kelly (1,049) and Joe Ferguson (1,174).
