The Buffalo Bills are set to face off against the Detroit Lions on what is expected to be an end-to-end, high-level bout on Thursday night football.
However, the Bills will unexpectedly be sans one of their top defensive players despite otherwise being fairly healthy on both sides of the ball.
Ed Oliver reportedly suffered a hip injury during warm-ups and consequently will not be able to play on Thursday night, per Syracuse.com’s Matt Parrino.
Ed Oliver Injures Hip During Warm-Ups, Will Miss Lions Game
“Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver injured his hip during warm ups and is inactive for the game. Huge blow for the Bills up front. T.J. Sanders is also inactive.” Parrino reported ahead of TNF.
It is not known at this point the severity of the injury, or how long this may keep Oliver out for, but he will not play against the Lions.
The team’s full list of inactives also include rookie offensive linemen Jude Bowry and Armaj Reed-Adams, along with fellow rookies in safety Jalon Kilgore and wide receiver Skyler Bell.
Bills Missing Both Starting 3-Techniques Against Lions
The most disheartening part of the injury, beyond it being devastating and a major loss for both Oliver and Buffalo in and of itself, is that it compounds the only other position group missing a significant figure.
Sanders is also inactive due to a knee injury and illness, and was listed questionable to play throughout the week leading up to the Lions game. This leaves the Bills in the unenviable position of being without both of their three-technique defensive tackles in defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s 3-4 scheme.
The good news for Buffalo is that they do have decent backups at both spots. 2025 third round pick Landon Jackson and 2024 third rounder DeWayne Carter – the latter of whom was turning heads in camp in 2025 before tearing his Achilles and missing the entirety of the season.
But this is certainly a tough break for a team looking to go 2-0 against consecutive tough opponents on a short week.
Bills Get Last Minute Devastating News on Ed Oliver Ahead of Lions Matchup