The Buffalo Bills opened the regular season schedule with a sixth-round rookie cornerback starting on the outside of the formation against the Baltimore Ravens.
With first-round rookie Maxwell Hairston on Injured Reserve due to a knee sprain, the Bills were prepared to start veteran Tre'Davious White at the CB2 spot in Week 1.
Unfortunately, White, who returned to Buffalo after one season away, was sidelined by a groin injury for the final week of training camp, and he remained on the shelf leading up to the September 7 season opener.
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The 30-year-old White was a non-participant at all practices leading up to the Week 1 home game, and he officially carried a doubtful designation into Sunday before landing on the inactives list. There does, however, seem to be some optimism around his potential return.
"Tre'Davious is improving. We'll see where that goes over the next couple of days as we head into the week of work. We'll go from there," said Bills' head coach Sean McDermott on Monday afternoon in Orchard Park.
With the first Week 2 injury report due out on Wednesday afternoon, White's status will be an important indicator of his true progress. It's more than possible that rookie Dorian Strong makes a second consecutive start when Buffalo visits the New York Jets on September 14.
Playing 100 percent of the defensive snaps, the Bills' 41-40 win was a mixed bag for Strong as one would expect with a Day 3 draft pick making his NFL debut in primetime against the Ravens' offense. He appeared to lose track of wide receiver Zay Flowers on a short third-quarter crossing route that went for a 36-yard gain.
"Young player going out there getting his first experience. Like all of us, he wants some plays back, but I thought he really did some good things," said McDermott.
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In particular, Strong prevented Henry from reaching paydirt on a long run off right tackle. Henry gained 49 yards before the Bills' rookie cornerback got him to the ground at the Buffalo 15-yard line.
"The touchdown-saving tackle on one of the long runs by Henry, you don't see a lot of corners finishing off that play, especially when it's one-on-one with Derrick Henry. I thought I was impressed by that, [and] he how hard he played. Those are good first steps that we can grow with," said McDermott.