Bills Activate DT Ed Oliver, WR Curtis Samuel From IR
Buffalo is welcoming back a couple of reinforcements in time for Saturday’s divisional round matchup with Denver. The Bills have activated defensive tackle Ed Oliver and wide receiver Curtis Samuel from injured reserve.
Oliver’s seventh NFL season began auspiciously with a standout performance in a win over the Ravens in Week 1. However, after suffering a foot injury in practice, he missed the Bills’ next four games.
Oliver returned to play in two before tearing his biceps, an injury that forced him to IR on Oct. 28. The 28-year-old ended his regular season with 12 tackles, 11 pressures, seven TFL, five QB hits and three sacks in three games.
Although Oliver was only on the field for 108 defensive snaps during the regular season, Pro Football Focus assigned him a 90.4 grade against the run. Despite largely going without Oliver, the Bills’ defense finished with respectable marks in yards and points allowed (seventh and 12th, respectively). They struggled to stop the run without Oliver, though. Only four teams allowed more rushing yards than Buffalo during the regular season.
The Bills’ problems against the run continued in a wild-card round win over the Jaguars last week. The Jags rumbled for 154 yards on 23 attempts. Oliver’s return should give the Bills a better chance of preventing a similar showing from the Broncos’ ground game this week.
It’s unclear how many snaps Oliver will play following a layoff of two-plus months, especially after he underwent a meniscus cleanup in late December. Assuming he plays Saturday, though, Oliver will rejoin an interior group that also relies heavily on fellow veteran DaQuan Jones and a pair of rookies in Deone Walker and T.J. Sanders.
Samuel, who has been out since mid-November with an elbow injury, has disappointed during the first two seasons of a three-year, $24MM contract. The former Panther and Commander played in six regular-season games in 2025 and caught just seven passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. His return is nonetheless welcome for a Buffalo team whose receiving corps has offered lackluster production all year. Adding to the Bills’ problems at receiver, they lost two contributors, Tyrell Shavers and Gabriel Davis, to torn ACLs in Jacksonville.
Along with activating Oliver and Samuel, the Bills have elevated receiver Mecole Hardman and running back Frank Gore Jr. from their practice squad. Hardman will join Samuel, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Brandin Cooks as the Bills’ receivers in Denver.
Gore’s elevation suggests the Bills will go a second straight game without third-down back Ty Johnson, who’s questionable with an ankle injury. Working behind James Cook and Ray Davis, Gore caught one pass for six yards against the Jags.
Bills Designate Ed Oliver, Curtis Samuel For Return From IR
The Bills are in the divisional round for the sixth straight season, defeating the Jaguars to book a trip to Denver. They could have a key reinforcement back for that game.
Ed Oliver will return to practice this week, Sean McDermott said (via the Buffalo News’ Jay Skurski). The veteran defensive tackle has been out since suffering a biceps tear in October. Oliver also underwent knee surgery recently. He is eligible for an IR activation, though the two-injury component could add a potential complication.
[RELATED: Injured Reserve Return Tracker]
Buffalo will also open Curtis Samuel‘s practice window, according to McDermott. Elbow and knee maladies sidelined Samuel in late November, but the 2024 free agency pickup has not been a key part of Buffalo’s passing attack this season. Despite the Bills needing wide receiver help pretty much since the Stefon Diggs trade, Samuel has been an afterthought.
One player who will not factor into the Bills’ receiving equation against the Broncos will be Gabe Davis, whom McDermott said (via Skurski) suffered an ACL tear against the Jaguars. Davis, whom the Jags cut shortly after the draft, rejoined the Bills on a practice squad deal before being signed to the active roster. He is on a one-year, $1.17MM deal — the veteran minimum for Davis’ service time.
Another Bills injury area to monitor: safety. The team will not have Jordan Poyer against the Broncos, with McDermott indicating the veteran defender will be out for the divisional round due to a hamstring injury. The Bills used Jordan Hancock in place of Poyer once he went down in Jacksonville, but Damar Hamlin is in the IR-return window. Hamlin has not played since early October because of a pectoral injury.
The Bills’ run defense has suffered greatly this season, ranking 28th. Oliver’s absence has obviously hurt here. The veteran defensive tackle missed time due to an ankle injury sustained in Week 1 but did not land on IR as a result. In his second game back from that issue, Oliver sustained the biceps tear. A postseason return was rumored, however. Though, that report came before a confirmed knee surgery. Oliver, 28, is attempting to finish off a three-injury season by helping in some capacity.
Oliver suffered a setback in late December, and a New Year’s Day report revealed he underwent a meniscus cleanup surgery. Oliver returning for the Broncos matchup or a possible AFC championship game date would presumably involve a reduced role, but any return would help a Buffalo defense that has withstood a number of maladies. The team played its wild-card game without recently extended linebacker Terrel Bernard and first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston.
Prior to his injuries, Samuel caught just seven passes for 81 yards over six games. The Bills gave the ex-Panthers and Commanders wideout a three-year, $24MM deal in 2024. The contract reunited Samuel with ex-Carolina OC Joe Brady, but Samuel has been among Buffalo’s misses at receiver over the past two years. After a failed attempt to acquire Jaylen Waddle at the deadline, the Bills added Brandin Cooks and Mecole Hardman. Davis had rejoined the team, after disappointing on a $13MM-per-year deal in Jacksonville, just before the season.
Poyer came back after training camp following a year with the Dolphins. The Bills have turned to their former starter as a first-stringer once again, deploying him alongside Cole Bishop after Taylor Rapp‘s season-ending injury. Poyer, 34, is likely to retire at season’s end. While it will be interesting to see who the Bills start in Round 2, they will need to win in order for Poyer to continue his career.
Bills DT Ed Oliver Undergoes Knee Surgery
Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver has been working back from a biceps tear since late October. There’s a chance Oliver will return sometime during the playoffs, but he’ll also have to overcome a knee injury first. Oliver underwent a meniscus cleanup on Monday, head coach Sean McDermott announced (via Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News and Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic).
This is the third significant injury of the season for Oliver, who incurred this unexpected setback during rehab. He only played in three regular-season games before going on IR.
After a stellar showing in the Bills’ Week 1 win over the Ravens, Oliver suffered an ankle injury in practice and missed four games in a row. He returned to play in two before tearing his biceps. The seventh-year man finished 2025 with 12 tackles, 11 pressures, seven TFL, five QB hits and three sacks.
While Oliver was only around for 108 defensive snaps during the regular season, Pro Football Focus awarded him an elite 90.4 grade against the run over that small sample. The Bills rank eighth in total defense and 12th in points allowed, but they’ve struggled to stop the run without Oliver.
The Bengals, Commanders and Giants are the only teams that have yielded more rushing yards than the Bills. Unlike those three, the 11-5 Bills earned a playoff berth. However, they’ll enter the postseason as a wild card for the first time since 2019. The 13-3 Patriots snapped the Bills’ five-year streak atop the AFC East.
Depending on the outcome of this week’s slate, Buffalo will finish anywhere from fifth to seventh in the AFC. The Bills will likely have to win three consecutive road games to advance to the Super Bowl. That’s a lot to ask with or without Oliver. If Oliver stays on the shelf during the playoffs, the Bills will have to continue leaning on fellow veteran starter DaQuan Jones and two rookies – fourth-rounder Deone Walker and second-rounder T.J. Sanders – as their top options at D-tackle. Larry Ogunjobi, Jordan Phillips and Phidarian Mathis are on hand as depth.
Jones and Phillips missed the Bills’ Week 17 loss to the Eagles with injuries, but their defense held up well in limiting Saquon Barkley to 68 yards on 19 carries. Meanwhile, quarterback Jalen Hurts didn’t complete a second-half pass during a 13-for-27, 110-yard afternoon. Regardless of whether Oliver returns, similar defensive performances in the coming weeks would increase the Bills’ chances of making a lengthy playoff run.
Bills DT Ed Oliver Could Return During Postseason
DECEMBER 28: Following this afternoon’s Week 17 loss to the Eagles, McDermott told reporters that, while Oliver is still moving in a positive direction, the 28-year-old “suffered a bit of a setback with his recovery this week,” per Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN. The ninth-year head coach didn’t offer any update on Oliver’s recovery timeline, but what has been a nine-week absence was already expected to continue into the postseason, so there’s a chance the veteran defender could struggle to make it back before the Bills’ season ends.
DECEMBER 25: At 11-4, the Bills have already clinched a playoff berth with two weeks remaining in the regular season. They’ve done so despite the long-term absence of one of their top defensive linemen, Ed Oliver, but a playoff return is a possibility. The Bills hope to get the 287-pound tackle back from injured reserve sometime during the postseason, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic.
Buffalo is still in play for the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round bye, though that’s an extreme long shot. The likelihood is the Bills will finish second in the AFC East behind the Patriots, ending a five-year run atop the division. That would set the Bills up to go on the road on wild-card weekend, which looks like the earliest possible comeback for Oliver.
Now in his seventh NFL season, Oliver has appeared in just three of 15 games. He was the Bills’ best defender in a Week 1 win over the Ravens, but an ankle injury suffered in practice shelved the 28-year-old for the next four games. Oliver returned to play in two contests before going down with a biceps tear in Week 8. He has been on IR since then.
While Oliver has only amassed 108 defensive snaps this year, he has made a noticeable impact when healthy. The former first-round pick piled up 12 tackles, seven TFL, five QB hits, and three sacks during his brief regular season.
It’s a small sample, but Pro Football Focus assigned Oliver a career-best grade of 90.4 against the run before he landed on the shelf. With Oliver out for most of 2025, the Bills have yielded the third-most rushing yards in the league. They eked out a 23-20 win over the Browns last Sunday despite allowing 160 ground yards on 31 attempts.
Oliver’s absence has left DaQuan Jones as the Bills’ most reliable interior D-lineman. Fourth-round rookie Deone Walker, second-round rookie T.J. Sanders, and veterans Larry Ogunjobi, Jordan Phillips, and Phidarian Mathis round out the group. There’s a steep drop-off from a healthy Oliver to any of those five.
Ogunjobi, who inked a one-year, $8.3MM deal with the Bills in free agency, has been particularly disappointing. The former Brown, Bengal and Steeler served a six-game PED suspension to begin his Bills tenure, and he has made little impact in eight games since returning. Head coach Sean McDermott made Ogunjobi a healthy scratch in Week 16.
It’s unknown if Ogunjobi will remain on the bench Sunday as Buffalo attempts to stay alive in the AFC East race for another week. Regardless, the Bills’ Oliver-less defense is in for a stiff test against the Eagles and their Saquon Barkley-led rushing attack. The Bills will then close out the regular slate with the Jets in Week 18, which may be the last time they’ll go without Oliver this season.
Latest On Bills’ Injuries
It’s been a brutal year for injuries in the NFL, and the Bills have not been safe from the carnage. A couple reports today provided some insight on some of the team’s short-term and long-term injury situations. 
In the short term, a report from earlier this week that pass rusher Joey Bosa would miss some time was confirmed with the release of the team’s final injury report of the week. As the defensive end missed the entire week of practice with a hamstring injury, he’s been ruled out for this weekend. The same is true of linebacker Terrel Bernard, who missed last week, as well, with an elbow injury.
In Bernard’s absence last week, veteran linebacker Shaq Thompson stepped up as a replacement starter. Injuries have made Buffalo extremely thin at defensive end, though. With Bosa out, A.J. Epenesa should see an increased role across from Gregory Rousseau. At times this year, second-year pass rusher Javon Solomon has seen some increased usage, and this could be a perfect opportunity to earn more playing time. The team has also shifted defensive tackle T.J. Sanders out to the edge recently to fill out the line.
In the long term, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic offers a glimmer of hope for defensive tackle Ed Oliver. A long-time pillar on the defensive line in Buffalo, Oliver has been out since the third week of the season with a torn bicep. At the time of the injury, there was some speculation that he may be able to make a return in time for the playoffs, and head coach Sean McDermott has maintained that a window could exist in which Oliver would have the potential to return after the regular season but in time for the playoffs. Anything sooner, though, is not considered likely.
Additionally, any hope of reinforcement from third-round rookie pass rusher Landon Jackson has been shut down. The prolific pass rushing Razorback saw his rookie season put on pause when he suffered a torn MCL and PCL in November. Per Buscaglia, McDermott confirmed today that Jackson is not returning this year.
Bills Sign Jordan Poyer, Jordan Phillips To Active Roster; Ed Oliver Placed On IR
Gearing up for a key showdown with the Chiefs on Sunday, the Bills announced that they’ve signed safety Jordan Poyer and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips from the practice squad to the active roster.
The team also placed defensive tackle Ed Oliver on injured reserve, a formality after he suffered a biceps tear in a win over the Panthers last Sunday. Oliver, who will undergo surgery, could return in the event of “a lengthy playoff run,” per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network.
A Bill from 2017-23 and half of a top-tier safety tandem with Micah Hyde for a large portion of that stretch, Poyer spent last season with AFC East rival Miami after Buffalo released him. While Poyer made 16 starts for the Dolphins in 2024, he went without an interception for the second year in a row and was unable to land a deal until the Bills added him to their practice squad in late August.
In an ideal situation, the Bills may not have had to use the 34-year-old Poyer much (if at all) this season. They entered the campaign with Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop as their starting safeties. Damar Hamlin was in the fold as a prominent depth piece.
Bishop, the team leader in defensive snaps, is still standing. However, Rapp went on IR ahead of Week 8 with a nagging knee injury, and Hamlin has been on shelf since Oct. 11 with a pectoral issue. Head coach Sean McDermott didn’t seem optimistic that Hamlin would return this year when the team placed him on IR.
With Rapp and Hamlin down, Poyer played in his second game of the season in Week 8. The former first-team All-Pro logged 45 defensive snaps and five tackles in a 40-9 victory in Carolina. Barring the acquisition of a safety by the Nov. 4 trade deadline, which is reportedly a possibility, the Bills will go forward with Poyer and Bishop as their primary options at the position. Cam Lewis and Jordan Hancock are around in depth roles.
Phillips, now in his third stint with the Bills, has already received three standard gameday elevations from the practice squad this season. That’s the maximum number, meaning the Bills had no choice but to sign Phillips to their active roster in order to use him again. The 33-year-old played 23 defensive snaps against the Panthers and could see more action with injuries eating away at the interior of Buffalo’s line.
Along with Oliver, the Bills are dealing with the long-term absence of second-round rookie T.J. Sanders, who has been on IR with a knee injury since Oct. 11. Meanwhile, veteran starter DaQuan Jones has missed back-to-back games with a calf injury. It’s unclear whether Jones will play against the Chiefs. If not, Phillips will join fourth-round rookie Deone Walker and Larry Ogunjobi as the Bills’ top D-tackle options for Week 9.
Oliver missed four games earlier this year with an ankle injury, but his biceps tear is a massive shot to a Buffalo defense that hasn’t been able to contain opposing ground attacks in 2025. The Bills rank 31st in the NFL in rushing yards per game allowed (150.3). That may be something for general manager Brandon Beane to address ahead of the deadline.
Bills DT Ed Oliver Suffers Biceps Tear
3:12pm: Head coach Sean McDermott announced this afternoon Oliver has indeed suffered a biceps tear. Surgery is upcoming as a result with an indefinite absence in store. A return in time for the playoffs could take place, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. For the time being, though, Buffalo’s defense will be without a major contributor.
10:19am: Ed Oliver exited Sunday’s game with a biceps injury. Buffalo’s top interior defender may now be in line to miss significant time.
The Bills fear Oliver suffered a biceps tear, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. An MRI is pending, and the results will provide further clarity on the matter. For the time being, though, the threat of an indefinite absence looms in this case.
Being without Oliver for any extended period would deal a major blow to Buffalo’s defense. The interior of the D-line was shorthanded to begin the campaign with Larry Ogunjobi and Michael Hoecht serving six-game suspensions. Both veterans are now on the active roster, though, and they each made their season debut yesterday. Ogubnjobi and Hoecht could be in line for notable roles right away if Oliver is indeed sidelined. Jordan Phillips was elevated from the practice squad for Week 8, and he is a candidate to be signed to the active roster if needed.
Meanwhile, second-rounder T.J. Sanders is currently on injured reserve while recovering from knee surgery. Fellow rookie Deone Walker has been a mainstay up front while looking to fill in for Sanders, logging a 52% snap share on defense. That figure could increase further if Oliver winds up missing considerable time. In any case, Buffalo’s setup along the defensive interior will be something to monitor moving forward.
Oliver suffered an ankle injury during a standout Week 1 performance, although he managed to return in time for the Bills’ loss to the Falcons. A run of heavy usage was in store coming off the team’s bye, but the 27-year-old could now be forced to turn his attention to a lengthy recovery process. Needless to say, further updates on this situation will be worth watching for once the MRI is complete.
The Bills improved to 5-2 with a blowout win yesterday. The team’s defense ranks in the top 10 in points allowed per game but sits 31st against the run. Absences along the D-line have contributed to that poor showing, and the unit’s ability to improve will be greatly hindered if Oliver is forced to miss a notable stretch of the season.
More On The New Contract For Bills DT Ed Oliver
When the Bills extended defensive tackle Ed Oliver last week, we examined how the deal was an accurate reflection of Oliver’s talents, rewarding him for his accomplishments while not placing him with the elite at the position. If anything, the deal seemed a bit heavy for what Oliver had shown on the stat sheet, but some insight, provided by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, was able to help put the deal in perspective. 
We already noted that the deal reduced his cap hit in the coming season from $10.75MM down to $5.78MM. We also noted that the big payday only slotted Oliver 11th at his position for average annual value. These points help to explain a bit about how reasonable the deal was financially, but Breer gave some reasoning for why the deal was as high of a payday as it was despite the apparent lack of production.
The Bills reportedly utilized advanced statistics when determining Oliver’s value. They saw that, despite his lack of statistical production, Buffalo’s pass rush excelled significantly more when Oliver was on the field. They found that, while Oliver’s lack of size and length can make it difficult to finish plays, he’s still disruptive enough to move to the ball out of position, allowing his teammates to reap the benefits off of his impact.
The team also expected much more from Oliver in 2022, predicting a breakthrough year after an impressive camp. Unfortunately, a high ankle sprain in the first half of the season opener against the Rams really knocked him off-kilter. Although he was able to return to the field just five weeks later, Oliver told people he didn’t quite feel right again until March. This projected potential helped inflate Oliver’s deal a bit, despite what was considered a bit of a down year.
We were also provided with some details on terms of the deal, thanks to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. We had reported a four-year, $68MM value with $45MM (now, more accurately, $45.28MM) guaranteed. We later added on that part of that guaranteed money was a $14.75MM signing bonus. Now, we know that, of that $45.28MM, $24.53MM is guaranteed at signing and is composed of the signing bonus, Oliver’s 2023 base salary of $2.03MM, and $7.75MM of his 2024 base salary (worth $14.75MM total). The $7MM-remainder of the 2024 salary becomes guaranteed the day following next year’s Super Bowl. $8.25MM of his 2025 base salary (worth $13.75MM total) becomes guaranteed on the fifth league day of the 2024 season, and the remaining $5.5MM becomes guaranteed if he’s still on the roster for the fifth league day of the 2025 season. He’ll have base salaries in 2026 and 2027 of $14.13MM and $14.4MM respectively.
Oliver can earn plenty in bonuses over the course of the deal. He’ll get a 2024 option bonus of $12.5MM, which, if exercised, would reduce his base salary amount for that year to $2.25MM. He can also receive an offseason roster bonus in 2025 of $1.25MM. There are workout bonuses of $500k per year starting in 2024, as well as per game active roster bonuses starting in that season of $25k for a potential additional $425k per season. There are also two undefined incentives worked into the deal for a potential $500k in 2023 and a possible $750k in each of the following years of the deal. The deal also has a built-in out that would allow the team to cut Oliver after the 2025 season for over $40MM of cap savings and only $5.9MM of dead cap.
So, that’s the skinny on how the Bills constructed Oliver’s new deal. They were able to reward the anchor of their defensive line while incentivizing him to continue to improve his performance. They locked Oliver down for a long-term deal and were able to alleviate their cap situation a bit in the process.
Bills, DT Ed Oliver Reach Agreement On Extension
JUNE 6: Further details on the extension are in, courtesy of ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). Oliver will receive a $14.75MM signing bonus via his extension, which has cap implications for 2023. His charge for this season has dropped to $5.775MM (compared to the $10.75MM it would have been on the fifth-year option). Buffalo has already used some of those savings on their deal for edge rusher Leonard Floyd.
JUNE 3: After four strong years on the Bills defensive line, defensive tackle Ed Oliver will avoid playing out his fifth-year option to free agency after agreeing to an extension, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Oliver’s new contract is reportedly a four-year deal worth $68MM, $45MM of which will be guaranteed.
Oliver isn’t the flashiest of defenders, as many in his position aren’t, but since getting drafted at No. 9 overall back in 2019, Oliver has done his job and done it well. While not elite in any area of the game, Oliver has been a good all-around defender in Buffalo, delivering strong performances as both a run defender and a pass rusher. He didn’t have his best season in 2022, but according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Oliver was the 13th best interior defender in 2020 and the 23rd in 2021.
As a rookie in 2019, Oliver became an immediate contributor rotating in the defensive front alongside Jordan Phillips and Star Lotulelei. He finished his rookie year with five sacks and five tackles for loss. He held down a similar role in his sophomore season, anchoring a rotation that now included Quinton Jefferson and Vernon Butler but now starting every game. In 2021, Oliver became a mainstay on the defensive line, playing more snaps than any other Bills defensive lineman. His playing time that year about doubled any other tackle on the team besides Harrison Phillips, and he rewarded Buffalo with a disruptive four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Last year, DaQuan Jones replaced Phillips as Oliver’s right-hand man as the two dominated the defensive tackles’ snap share.
So far in his career, Oliver has proven to be an above average pass rusher with 14.5 career sacks from the interior as well as 42 quarterback hits, a disruptive run stopper with 30 career tackles for loss, and an all-around nuisance with 11 swatted passes and four forced fumbles. He’s been a steady, reliable contributor, appearing in all but four games over the course of his career, as well.
Oliver’s new deal is reflective of his status in the NFL. Not considered an elite athlete at his position but still respected as a strong contributor, the $17MM annual average value of Oliver’s extension ranks 11th among NFL defensive tackles. The league’s better tackles make north of $20MM per year while an all-time great like Aaron Donald makes just over $30MM per year. The $45MM guaranteed, though, ranks sixth-most among active defensive tackle contracts.
Five other defensive tackles were taken in the first round of 2019: Quinnen Williams, Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence, Jeffery Simmons, and Jerry Tillery. Tillery was waived by the Chargers midseason last year. Lawrence agreed to an impressive four-year, $87.5MM deal almost a month ago, and Simmons topped both Oliver and Lawrence with a four-year, $94MM extension, a deal that would top the position if not for Donald. Williams is currently in discussions with the Jets for an extension and should expect a strong one after a first-team All-Pro 2022 season. Wilkins is also in discussions with Miami, but he likely shouldn’t expect to reach the heights of Simmons, Lawrence, or Williams. After two strong seasons, Wilkins may see a deal similar to Oliver’s, but an inconsistent start to his career may limit what he receives.
Back in Buffalo, though, the Bills have locked down the future of their defensive line, especially considering every other experienced defensive tackle on the roster (Jones, Phillips, Tim Settle, and Poona Ford) is set for free agency at the conclusion of the upcoming season. Oliver joins tight end Dawson Knox, who received an extension of his own last September, as the only remaining members of Buffalo’s 2019 draft class.
AFC Injury Updates: Bills, Raiders, Leonard
As the Bills head to South Florida for a noon matchup against a red-hot Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins, they have seen a tough challenge get tougher. Buffalo released an injury update on its website today reporting that the team expects to be without four starters: two in the secondary, in safety Micah Hyde and cornerback Dane Jackson, and two defensive tackles, Ed Oliver and Jordan Phillips. Jackson, Hyde, and Phillips all left Monday night’s game with injuries, while Oliver will miss his second straight contest.
Jackson left the game last week after a collision that forced his head backwards in a scary-looking neck injury. He was taken off the field in an ambulance, but, luckily, avoided any major injury. Unfortunately, Jackson hasn’t been able to practice at all this week but has been able to be around the team at the facilities.
Hyde also suffered a neck injury, albeit a far less severe-looking injury than Jackson’s, that held him out of practice this week. Phillips left the game Monday with a hamstring injury and also was unable to practice this week. Oliver has been dealing with an ankle injury that held him out last week, as well.
Missing three starters in the secondary (cornerback Tre’Davious White remains on injured reserve) makes the prospect of facing Tagovailoa a bit more cumbersome one week after he threw for 469 yards and six touchdowns against a banged up Ravens secondary. They’ll turn to rookies Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam to fill in at cornerback with help from veteran Bills cornerbacks Taron Johnson and Siran Neal. Damar Hamlin and Jaquan Johnson will be asked to step up in Hyde’s absence, as well.
With both Phillips and Oliver out on the defensive line, it’s a good bet that the Bills will mirror their gameday practice squad call-ups from last week in defensive tackles C.J. Brewer and Brandin Bryant.
Here are a few more Sunday injury statuses we learned about today, starting with a couple of big starters out in Sin City:
- The Raiders are set to face off against the Titans this weekend without two Pro Bowlers as wide receiver Hunter Renfrow and linebacker Denzel Perryman are officially out, according to Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Hill also reports that, after missing two practices with an illness, running back Josh Jacobs is questionable to play this Sunday.
- Despite initial reports in the preseason that Colts star linebacker Shaquille Leonard would not miss any time, the 27-year-old is set to miss his third straight game after being ruled out against the Chiefs this week, according to Mike Chappell of Indianapolis Fox59. Head coach Frank Reich told the media, “Deep down it’s the player. Deep down the player has to know he can play winning football and help this team win. That’s where we’ve got to get to.”