BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Bills have played stellar defense in starting the season 3-0 despite being without a number of the unit's best players. The banged up group is on the mend, however, it will be at least another week before two key defenders get back on the field. Defensive captain Terrel Bernard and secondary stalwart Taron Johnson won't return for Buffalo's next game Sunday night at Baltimore, coach Sean McDermott said Tuesday. But both players are progressing toward being available in the coming weeks, and McDermott said the Bills don't plan to place either defender on injured reserve. Johnson, an All-Pro at his nickel defender position last season, hurt his forearm early in the season opener, and Bernard sustained a pectoral injury in the first half of the Week 2 win at Miami. Bills backups step in to shore up injury-depleted defense All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano remains on injured reserve after tearing his biceps tendon. Milano was designated to return this season, but it likely won't before December. *** Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.