Bills lose Cole Beasley to COVID, out 10 days at minimum

The Buffalo Bills will be without Cole Beasley in their critical division game vs. the New England Patriots, as the unvaccinated wide receiver tested positive for COVID.

Cole Beasley will not be available for the Buffalo Bills ahead of their biggest game of the season, as the unvaccinated wide receiver tested positive for COVID.

Because Beasley is unvaccinated, he will have to go into quarantine for at least 10 days minimum. This means he cannot play in the Week 16 road game vs. the division rival New England Patriots. Though the Patriots currently hold the head-to-head tiebreaker, the 8-6 Bills can reclaim the division lead with a win over the 9-5 Patriots on Sunday due to having a better record in-division.

However, the Bills offense is largely passing-centric, so being without their slot wide receiver could not be coming at a worse time for them.

Buffalo Bills place WR Cole Beasley on COVID list: When can he return to play?

Assuming Beasley clears COVID-19 protocols after his mandatory 10-day quarantine, he could theoretically return in time for the Bills’ Week 17 home game vs. the mediocre Atlanta Falcons. With presumably bad weather in Orchard Park, going up against a dome team that pretty much lost its shot at making the playoffs last week could be a huge boost by the time Beasley returns.

Ultimately, the Bills can repeat as AFC East champions if they win out. While the road date at New England will be tough sledging, dropping either of their last two games at home to Atlanta or the flightless New York Jets probably means the Bills will not make the AFC playoffs. The Bills are one of five teams in the AFC sitting at 8-6 heading into the final three weeks of the regular season.

Buffalo has to find a way to beat New England in Foxborough without Beasley being available.