Buffalo Bills running back Nyheim Hines suffers serious knee injury, expected to miss 2023

Buffalo Bills running back Nyheim Hines reportedly suffered a significant knee injury and now is expected to miss the entire 2023 season, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero. The injury he suffered reportedly occurred outside of the Bills facilities.

Traded to Buffalo from Indianapolis last season for Zack Moss and a fifth-round selection, Hines could now miss his entire fifth season in the league.

A former fourth-round draft pick out of NC State, Hines has 1,202 career rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 1,778 receiving yards and another eight receiving touchdowns.

In Sept. of 2021, the 5-foot-8 running back signed a three-year deal with the Colts for $18.6 million. He is due to make $2.56 million in salary for the 2023 season.

Hines expected to miss 2023 season

Statistically, the best season of Hines’ career so far came in 2020. He had 89 carries, 380 yards and three touchdowns for the Colts. As part of the passing game, he also had a career-high 63 catches, 482 yards and four more touchdowns in 2020.

Prior to his trade to the Bills in 2022, Hines was having a slow season for Indianapolis. He had just 25 catches for 188 yards, plus 18 carries for 36 yards.

As a kick-returner, Hines managed to make an impact in just nine games for the Bills. He had 19 kickoff returns for 554 yards with two touchdowns. Both kickoff returns for touchdowns game in a January 8 game versus the New England Patriots.

An All-American on the track, Hines left NC State after a 1,112-yard season in 2017. He entered the draft and went No. 104 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.

With the Bills officially starting training camp on Tuesday with the arrival of the veterans, they’ll be without the versatile former Wolfpack star.

Without Hines, Buffalo will lean more heavily on James Cook, Damien Harris and Latavius Murray. This offseason, leading running back Devin Singletary signed a one-year deal with the Houston Texans out of free agency.

Also, in the return game, the Bills will need a new primary kick and punt returner. They could potentially fill those spots with Deonte Harty, Khalil Shakir or Micah Hyde.

Despite a major blow to the team before the start of training camp, the Buffalo Bills still appear poised to lead the AFC East this season. They finished the 2022 regular season with a 13-3 overall record, four games ahead of the Miami Dolphins.