Buffalo Bills starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver will not play in Thursday night’s home opener against the Detroit Lions after suffering a hip injury during pregame warmups.
Buffalo announced Oliver’s status 90 minutes before kickoff when the team released its list of inactive players. The injury is a significant loss for the Bills’ defensive line, as Oliver is an eight-year starter and one of the team’s most experienced interior defenders.
Oliver played an important role in Buffalo’s season-opening victory over Houston last week. He finished the 36-31 win with five tackles and recovered a fumble as the Bills opened the season with a victory on the road.
The Bills will have limited depth along the defensive line against Detroit. Rookie T.J. Sanders is also unavailable for a second consecutive game because of a knee injury and illness, leaving Buffalo with only four healthy defensive linemen entering Thursday night’s matchup..
Kickoff between the Bills and Lions is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. The game will be available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.
