While they still have occasional ups and downs (see a Week 4 defeat to the New England Patriots), the Buffalo Bills' defense has been surprisingly good so far during this still-young NFL season. What's particularly impressive about that fact is that the Bills' defense has done well despite missing standout defensive tackle Ed Oliver during a Week 2 win over the Detroit Lions.
As they play the Los Angeles Rams on the road Monday night, they'll have to manage without Oliver again. Oliver is officially inactive for the matchup as he recovers from a knee injury. The question now is when the Bills will get their defensive anchor back:
Looking like no:
— Kevin Massare (@KevinMassare) October 12, 2026
Alford (Nickel 1), Hancock (Nickel 2)
Ed Oliver (DL 1), Landon Jackson (DL 2), Durant (DL 3)
DJ Moore (WR 1), Palmer (WR 4)
Brutal Bills inactives tonight for week 5 against the Rams
Head coach Joe Brady has maintained that the Bills do not believe that Oliver's injury is of a long-term variety. That's great news! That means it seems likely we'll see him play for Buffalo again as early as a Week 6 game with the Las Vegas Raiders. Of course, the Bills do have their bye week the following week, so maybe they'll just elect to give Oliver more rest at an ideal time. There's no "wrong" approach here, to be very clear.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: When is Ed Oliver coming back to the Bills?