Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver has had a rough go this season, dealing with his second injury this year. But it's not just Oliver, it's the whole Bills defense, and it may force the Bills to make a move of some sort.
With the recent injury to defensive tackle Ed Oliver, the Buffalo Bills are in an incredibly tough spot.
During this past week’s game against the Carolina Panthers, Oliver had suffered a torn bicep and earlier today, coach Sean McDermott confirmed that he’ll need surgery.
The timeline for his return is to be determined, so he's currently out indefinitely, but Buffalo is hoping he’ll be back for the playoffs.
Originally it was believed that the AFC East was Buffalo’s to lose, but with the recent surge of the New England Patriots, who currently hold the division lead, it’s time for Bills’ General Manager Brandon Beane to shift into fourth gear.
Oliver, even though has only played three games, he’s probably Buffalo’s most important defender, along with defensive end Greg Rousseau.
But along with Oliver, nose tackle DaQuan Jones has also missed multiple games with a calf injury and rookie TJ Sanders, who is on injured reserve, isn’t eligible to return until Week 11 .
Linebacker Matt Milano hasn’t played more than five games in a season since 2022 and is getting to the point where he may need to consider retirement, while linebacker Terrel Bernard is also out.
The Bills are also missing safeties Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin, forcing them to rely solely on Cole Bishop and Cam Lewis as the lone safeties who are semi-trustworthy.
So Buffalo is going through it right now, even though the standings don’t seem to suggest it.
Naturally, a trade seems inevitable for the franchise, and eyes immediately go to superstar defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons of the Tennessee Titans – who should be looking ahead toward the upcoming Draft.
Tennessee was reported to be open to a trade, but not including their stars. That includes Simmons.
So unless Buffalo is ready to empty the treasure chest, don’t expect Simmons to be Western New York bound.
Our own Michael Gallagher suggested that the Bills should go after linebacker Logan Wilson of the Cincinnati Bengals, who just recently requested a trade.
The addition of Wilson does put some relief to the loss of Milano and Bernard, but not Oliver.
One cheap and effective option is defensive tackle Shelby Harris, an 11-year veteran who spent the past two and a half seasons with the Cleveland Browns. There haven’t been many signs of a drop off for the 34-year-old, and he’s already managed to match his total for tackles for loss from last season.
Another option is Cameron Jordan, the 36-year-old lineman who has spent his entire 15-year career with the New Orleans Saints. Jordan is likely approaching retirement in the near future, and with the Saints sitting at the bottom of the league, it’s one more opportunity for the former Pro Bowler to play meaningful snaps.
Now the Bills have a few decisions to make. Do they rely on rookie Deone Walker and veteran Larry Ogunjobi to carry the load? Or do they look elsewhere to improve the team?