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Bills' Marquez Valdes-Scantling ruled out with neck injury

PITTSBURGH -- Buffalo Bills wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling suffered a neck injury in Saturday's 9-3 preseason win over the Steelers on Saturday and did not return.

Valdes-Scantling was injured as he was being tackled by three Steelers defenders following a catch on a third-down pass from quarterback Ben DiNucci toward the end of the first half.

A source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that X-rays on Valdes-Scantling's were negative, and his status is uncertain for next weekend's preseason game against Carolina.

"We've got a number of [injuries] again, and I don't have any updates. I wish I did," Bills coach Sean McDermott said after the game. "Everyone's being evaluated, and we'll know more here in the next couple of days."

Valdes-Scantling, who signed a one-year deal with the Bills in May, was evaluated by athletic trainers on the field with teammates surrounding him as he was slowly brought into a sitting position and then slowly walked off the field and eventually to the medical tent. Just before the half, he was taken off the field in the passenger seat of a cart. It was his only catch and target of the game.

The Bills' wide receiver room was reshaped over the offseason, and finding the right players to build out the final spots in the room remains a work in progress with just one preseason game remaining.

Valdes-Scantling's injury was one of many the Bills suffered Saturday night, while safety Damar Hamlin also didn't play after missing a significant portion of the team's joint practice due to an injury that he said the coaching staff was being safe with, adding to a banged-up safety room.

Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky (knee), defensive tackle Austin Johnson (calf), tight end Quintin Morris (shoulder) and rookie defensive end Javon Solomon (calf) also were ruled out of the game, adding to a Bills team already dealing with several injuries, including linebacker Matt Milano tearing his biceps in Tuesday's practice. That injury led to McDermott's decision to rest starting middle linebacker Terrel Bernard. Undrafted free agent from Buffalo Joe Andreessen started in his place, and had a strong performance, including 12 tackles.

"That one was already determined before," McDermott said. "To be honest with you, when we lost Matt, we're just where we are at that position right now, so I didn't want to expose TB out there."

Quarterback Josh Allen, who is healthy, did not play Saturday with the rest of the first-team offense and Trubisky started in his place. McDermott said he made that decision based on the really good week of practice Allen had. He also said he went with his gut feeling on the pregame weather, including rain and wind, and the conditions cutting the teams' warmup short.

Trubisky left the game after playing five drives -- completing 9-of-13 passes for 86 yards and one interception -- leaving quarterback DiNucci, whom the team signed on Tuesday, to play the rest of the game. DiNucci only had five passing attempts, with the team finding success on the ground.

"As far as Mitch goes, wanted to get a good look at Mitch and then he got the knee there, so we'll see where that leaves us," McDermott said. "But good to see Ben as well get in there, like Joe Andreessen], and didn't flinch, led the offense. I thought really, the offense did a phenomenal job establishing the line of scrimmage in the second half with intention and purpose and pad level, finishing runs."