It might come as a surprise that Buffalo Bills star defensive tackle Ed Oliver hasn’t earned a Pro Bowl selection at this point in his career. He was inarguably 1 of the NFL’s elite interior defensive linemen through his 1st 6 seasons before only playing 3 games in 2025 due to injuries.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra predicts Oliver’s comeback will come with a career breakthrough in 2026 — his 1st Pro Bowl selection.
“Ed Oliver looked like a Pro Bowler in the short time he was on the field last year. Unfortunately, injuries relegated the knifing big-man to just three tilts,” Patra wrote. “The upside in new DC Jim Leonhard’s scheme is there for Oliver to make his Pro Bowl debut in Year 8. With Deone Walker’s ascension giving Oliver a running mate, the veteran should pile up stats if he can stay on the field.”
Oliver, 28, could also be in line for another huge payday with a Pro Bowl year — he’s in the penultimate season of the 4-year, $68 million contract extension he signed before the 2023 season.
Uber-Dominant Defender Since College Days
Oliver first leapt onto the radars of football fans at the University of Houston, where he was a 3-time All-American from 2016 to 2018, despite playing just 8 games in 2018.
The first freshman to win the Bill Willis Award as the nation’s top college defensive lineman, he also won the Outland Trophy in 2017 and in 3 seasons, Oliver had a staggering 53 TFL to go with 13.5 sacks.
In 7 seasons with the Bills, he’s been at the heart of their defense and they’ve made the playoffs every year he’s been on the roster. That includes 2 appearances in the AFC Championship Game.
Before missing 14 regular-season games in 2025, Oliver only missed 8 games total through his 1st 6 seasons. His 17-game averages tell the story of a dominant player: 43 tackles, 10 TFL, 5.5 sacks and 14 QB hits.
Deone Walker Could Be Breakout Star for Bills
There’s a chance Oliver could end up playing a complementary role in 2026 if 2nd-year defensive tackle Deone Walker continues to ascend.
Pro Football Focus NFL reporter Gordon McGuinness has Walker at the top of his list of the NFL’s “Breakout Candidates” headed into 2026.
Walker, 6-foot-7 and 351 pounds, was a plug-and-play starter — 16 starts in 17 regular-season games in 2025 — and was playing his best football down the stretch.
“A fourth-round draft pick last season, Deone Walker showed some encouraging flashes during his rookie campaign,” McGuinness wrote on August 18. “Despite what you might expect from a player his size, the former Kentucky Wildcat made his biggest impact as a pass-rusher, earning a 78.3 PFF pass-rush grade while generating 20 pressures on 283 pass-rushing snaps. A full NFL offseason should allow him to take another step forward and make an even bigger impact along the interior of the Bills’ defensive line.”
McGuiness isn’t the 1st eagle-eyed media member to single Walker out as a potential star for the Bills. The Athletic’s Tim Graham also thinks he has what it takes.
“The 2025 fourth-round draft pick started every game after the season opener, making a strong impression at a position of need,” Graham wrote on July 13. “Walker’s offseason mission has been conditioning to play all three downs. He said in June he had slimmed from last year’s playing weight of 338 pounds to 328 pounds. By a large margin, he led all Bills defensive linemen with 37 run stops. Walker recorded two half-sacks with 16 pressures. His eight tackles for losses finished behind only edge rusher Joey Bosa, and his four pass breakups tied for fourth behind three defensive backs. Walker, who just turned 22 in March, added two more pass breakups and snagged his first interception in the playoffs.”
$68 Million Bills Star Ed Oliver Predicted for Career Breakthrough