Though there's a decent chance that the Bills will have starting tight end Scott Chandler back in the fold from an ankle injury Saturday, Buffalo lost one of their other tight ends for the rest of the season. Rookie Lee Smith was placed on injured reserve Tuesday making him the 15th player to go on injured reserve this season.
Smith was injured in the first half of Buffalo's game against Miami last Sunday, when he got rolled up on a running play. The tight end hopped on one foot to the sideline with a bad left ankle injury. He was carted from the field and never returned.
Head coach Chan Gailey after the game said the ankle injury was bad, and that he'd be out moving forward though no timetable on the injury was divulged.
Smith was originally a waiver pickup by the Bills at the beginning of the season after he was released by the New England Patriots. The rookie tight end served primarily in a blocking role, but also caught four passes for 11 yards.
Brock promotedFilling Smith's roster spot is practice squad tight end Kevin Brock. He was signed to the Bills practice squad just last week, eight days after he was released by the Oakland Raiders.
Brock (6'5" 260) was originally signed as an undrafted rookie by Carolina in 2009. He spent that 2009 season on both the Pittsburgh and Chicago practice squads. He'll wear jersey number 87.
