Shawne Merriman

Bills linebacker Shawne Merriman was placed on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday with a right Achilles tendon injury. Merriman was placed on the IR for the same injury in November of last season. The Achilles became a problem for Merriman when it forced him to miss Buffalo’s Week 6 loss to the Giants. When the injury did not progress as much as the team hoped over Buffalo’s bye week, the team made the decision to shut him down.

“Shawne has worked extremely hard, but unfortunately his Achilles flared back up and it doesn’t appear that he will be able to return to the field anytime soon,” Bills general manager Buddy Nix said in a statement released by the team Tuesday. “We felt it was in the best interest of our team and for Shawne to put him on IR.”

Despite their 4-2 record, the Bills defense is 31st in total defense. Merriman finishes the season with nine tackles and one sack in five games. The 27-year-old linebacker has been hampered by injuries all season. A right knee injury kept him out of two preseason games and a shoulder injury he suffered in Week 2 has forced him to play limited snaps for much of the season. The former Charger has struggled to stay on the field over the past few years, playing only 13 total games in the past three seasons.

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