The Buffalo Bills will be without the services of star defensive tackle Ed Oliver against the New York Jets in Week 2.
Head coach Sean McDermott confirmed the news to the media on Friday, September 12.
DT Ed Oliver has been ruled out for Sunday’s game.
📰: https://t.co/yuUaqUNoIQ@UBMDOrtho | #BUFvsNYJ pic.twitter.com/GUuaFskagj
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 12, 2025
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Jets running back Breece Hall shared his reaction to Oliver being ruled out.
“Yeah, he is a game changer, that is something we are going to have to take advantage of, but I’m sure they have some other good players over there. He is a very great player, so I’m sure they are going to miss him. You know, regardless of who is in the game, we still gotta go out there and execute,” Hall explained to the media.
Jets Have the Right Mentality Regarding This Injury
Are the Bills worse off with Oliver out of the lineup? Yes.
Does that guarantee victory for the Jets? Absolutely not.
Last season, the Jets, in theory, received the ultimate gift from the football Gods. Ahead of the 2024 season opener, the San Francisco 49ers ruled out superstar running back Christian McCaffrey. It supposedly increased the Jets’ chances of winning, but fast forward to the end of the game, and it was a non-factor.
An unknown name, Jordan Mason, stepped up to the plate in McCaffrey’s place and balled out. Mason finished with 28 carries for 147 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. San Francisco won the game 32-19.
In other words, the Jets have to handle their own business.
Meet the Bills Replacement Plan for Oliver
Bills sideline reporter Sal Capaccio said on the “It’s Always Gameday in Buffalo” podcast that T.J. Sanders is expected to fill the void in the starting lineup vacated by Oliver.
Sanders, 22, was the No. 41 overall pick in the second round of April’s draft. Buffalo traded up to that spot, curiously, just a spot ahead of the Jets, who sat at the No. 42 overall pick to select him.
The Jets’ need for a defensive tackle was well documented leading up to the draft.
The #Bears helped the #Bills screw the #Jets twice during the 2025 #NFLDraft.
One of NYJ’s biggest needs was DT.
Buffalo knew that & sniped NYJ twice by moving a pick ahead of them at pick 41 in the 2nd round & at pick 109 in the 4th round to take the best available defensive… pic.twitter.com/MSa9beCLFF
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) May 9, 2025
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“The team is thin as it is at defensive tackle, even before the Oliver injury. Second-year reserve player DeWayne Carter suffered a season-ending torn Achilles in the team’s final practice in August. The Bills are also without veteran Larry Ogunjobi, who is only one game into his six-week suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs,” Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic revealed.
“The Oliver injury leaves the Bills with only starter DaQuan Jones, along with rookies T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker on the active roster. The team has three practice squad defensive tackles in Jordan Phillips, Zion Logue, and the recently signed Phidarian Mathis,” Buscaglia added.
Interestingly, one of the Bills’ alternative options to play on Sunday is another rookie, Deone Walker, whom they took with the No. 109 overall pick in the fourth round.
The Jets held the No. 110 overall pick in April’s draft, and the Bills, for the second time during that draft, traded just one spot in front of them to take another defensive tackle.
Jets Are Getting a Benefit, They Have to Take Advantage
WKBW sports director Matthew Bové called Oliver the Bills’ “best defensive player” in Week 1.
“Oliver’s full game in Week 1 included three tackles for loss, one sack, and a pass rush pressure rate of 23.5 percent, according to TruMedia and Pro Football Focus. Oliver tied for the highest pressure rate of any defensive tackle in the NFL in Week 1, among those who had at least 10 pass-rushing snaps,” Buscaglia posted.
Despite those impressive stats, the Bills’ run defense was a sieve, allowing 176 rushing yards. Fixing those issues got that much more difficult without Oliver available.
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