Bills backup OL Anderson week to week after knee surgery; right tackle Brown cleared to practice

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills backup offensive lineman Alec Anderson is listed week to week after having surgery for a knee injury, the team announced Thursday.

Anderson was hurt during practice on Monday. Though a backup, Anderson played an extensive role last year in being used as a tackle-eligible when Buffalo went to a six-lineman formation. He finished with four starts in 17 games, while also contributing on special teams.

He first signed with the Bills in 2022 as an undrafted rookie free agent following four years at UCLA.

Later in the day, the team activated starting right tackle Spencer Brown off the physically unable to perform list. Brown missed the first seven practices of training camp because of a back injury.

Second-year safety Cole Bishop did not practice Thursday because of a quadriceps injury sustained in practice on Tuesday.

Buffalo also signed defensive end Kameron Cline, who rejoins the Bills after spending much of the previous two seasons on the team’s practice squad. Cline filled the roster spot left open after defensive end Hayden Harris was waived because of a hamstring injury.

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FILE - Buffalo Bills center Alec Anderson (70) blocks during the first half of an NFL exhibition football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/David Dermer, File)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — William Nylander, who leads the Maple Leafs in scoring, went to the locker room late in the first period of Toronto's Thursday night game against the Vegas Golden Knights with a lower-body injury.

Teammate Oliver Ekman-Larsson also left the ice in the first, but returned for the second period.

The Maple Leafs said that Nylander would not return to the game.

He entered the game with a team-leading 30 assists and 46 points. Nylander added to those totals with a goal and an assist against the Golden Knights.

His overtime goal gave the Maple Leafs a 4-3 victory at Colorado on Monday night to end the Avalanche's 17-game home winning streak.

The 11-year veteran has been an ironman for the Maple Leafs, having appeared in all 82 games each of the past three seasons and in 81 games in 2021-22. However, he had just returned to action Saturday after missing six games with a lower-body injury.

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Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, left, celebrates with right wing William Nylander after his goal in overtime of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)