Bills' All-Pro Safety Jordan Poyer Expected to Play vs. Rams After Elbow Injury

Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer is trending in the right direction ahead of Thursday's season-opener against the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Sunday.

McDermott said he would be "surprised" if Poyer didn't play the Week 1 game.

The first-team All-Pro suffered a hyperextended elbow in early August, causing him to miss much of training camp and the entire preseason.

Despite the injury, Poyer planned to return in time for the regular season.

"I expect to be out there, as long as there’s no setbacks," Poyer said last Monday. "It feels really good right now, I’ll continue to work every single day to try to get to 100% for the first game."

The return will be huge for the Bills considering the 31-year-old's impact on the field.

Poyer ranked second on the team with 93 tackles last season, adding five interceptions, three sacks and nine passes defended. He was one of the top players for a defense that led the NFL in both points and yards allowed.

It came after three straight years of tallying at least 100 tackles with Buffalo.

This offseason, Poyer was ranked 45th in the NFL's top 100, five spots ahead of fellow Bills safety Micah Hyde.

Heading into the final year of his current contract, Poyer will look to continue his progression while helping the Bills compete for a Super Bowl title.