Bills' Marquez Valdes-Scantling leaves the game against the Steelers with a neck injury

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

Valdes-Scantling was injured when he was tackled by three Steelers defenders late in the first half after catching a pass from quarterback Ben DiNucci on third down.

“We have 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 is being evaluated, and we'll know more here in the next few days.”

Valdes-Scantling, who signed a one-year contract with the Bills in May, was examined by athletic trainers on the field while being surrounded by his teammates as he was slowly brought to a sitting position and then slowly led off the field and eventually to the medical tent. He was taken off the field in the passenger seat of a car just before halftime. It was his only catch and his only goal of the game.

The Bills' wide receiver room underwent an offseason remodel, and finding the right players to fill 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. Safety Damar Hamlin also did not play after missing a significant portion of the team's joint practice due to an injury that the coaching staff said was playing it safe, adding to the strain on the struggling safety corps.

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

“That was already a foregone conclusion,” McDermott said. “To be honest, when we lost Matt, we were in the situation we're in now, so I didn't want to embarrass TB out there.”

Quarterback Josh Allen, who is healthy, did not play with the rest of the first team on Saturday and Trubisky started in his place. McDermott said he made that decision because of the really good week of practice Allen had. He also said he trusted his gut feeling about the weather before the game, including rain and wind, and conditions shortening the teams' warmups.

Trubisky left the game after five drives — he completed 9 of 13 passes for 86 yards and one interception — and let quarterback DiNucci, whom the team signed on Tuesday, play the rest of the game. DiNucci had just five pass attempts, with the team being successful on the ground.

“As far as Mitch goes, I wanted to see Mitch do well and then he hit the knee, so we'll see where that gets us,” McDermott said. “But it's also nice to see Ben come in there, like Joe Andreessen, and not flinch, but lead the offense. I really thought the offense did a phenomenal job in the second half of setting up the line of scrimmage with intent and purpose and straight leg and finishing runs.”