IK Enemkpali Injury: Updates on Bills LB's Knee and Recovery
Buffalo Bills linebacker IK Enemkpali will miss the entire 2016 NFL season after suffering a torn ACL in the team's preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
Continue for updates.
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Enemkpali Placed on Injured Reserve
Tuesday, Aug. 16
Enemkpali cleared waivers on Tuesday and was officially put on IR, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.
Enemkpali Done for Season After Injuring Knee vs. Colts
Sunday, Aug. 14
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the results of an MRI on Sunday, confirming Enemkpali would miss the entire season.
Enemkpali left in the first half of Buffalo's 19-18 loss after his knee twisted awkwardly while he was engaged with a blocker. He was carted off the field, and coach Rex Ryan acknowledged team doctors felt the injury was "major" after the game.
“It looks like a major knee, so that’s a tough thing right there,” Ryan said, per Chris Brown of the Bills' official website. “I don’t know the extent of it yet, but it looks like a major knee injury.”
Enemkpali Latest Defensive Player to Go Down for Bills
Now in his third season out of Louisiana Tech, Enemkpali appeared in 11 games in 2015. He recorded 13 total tackles as a backup linebacker and special teamer, coming over from the New York Jets after an incident that saw him break the jaw of quarterback Geno Smith. Another incident last week saw Enemkpali try to punch offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio, per Joe Buscaglia of WKBW.
A defensive disappointment in 2015, the Bills underwent a number of roster changes this offseason in hopes of reigniting their pass rush. Enemkpali was expected to compete for a second outside linebacker spot behind Shaq Lawson.
His injury adds to the ever-growing list of ailments on the Buffalo defense. The team is already without Lawson thanks to offseason shoulder surgery, and veteran Manny Lawson is dealing with a pectoral tear. Rookie inside linebacker Reggie Ragland is expected to miss the entire season after suffering a torn ACL in training camp.
At this rate, Ryan might want to rest his healthy linebackers for the remainder of the preseason just to be safe.
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