Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver has had a rough go this season, having played just three games. His recent arthroscopic surgery to repair meniscus damage caps off an otherwise stormy year already filled with injuries. Oliver had been on IR since Oct. 28. He had just recovered from an operation for a torn left biceps and fought through an ankle injury earlier this season.
Oliver’s current season statistics—three sacks, one forced fumble—are skewed by a lack of play time. Nate Breske, the Bills’ head athletic trainer, said that the defensive standout underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure on Monday. This surgery was for a repair of post-traumatic meniscus damage he incurred while compensating for his previous injuries.
Buffalo Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott had already ruled Oliver out for at least the postseason. The coach admitted the difficulty behind making sure this doesn’t happen. He stressed that sometimes making tough decisions is in the best interest of the whole team.
“As it relates to the game and different things, there’s obviously a lot of different paths and approaches we could take,” – Sean McDermott.
Even with those positives, McDermott said Oliver’s recent procedure has introduced some uncertainty about his return timeline. It was encouraging to hear him sound hopeful about Oliver’s potential return, as he initially forecasted. He cautioned, the paradigm is far from set in stone.
“It probably adds a little bit of cloudiness to his return window,” – Sean McDermott.
While these trials tested his body, McDermott had some bright news to share on Oliver’s progress. He stated, “He looks like he’s doing well from that,” indicating some optimism for the player’s rehabilitation process.
Though Ed Oliver is still on the Buffalo Bills’ roster, the hot stove season has meant more than just discussions and speculation. We have definitely felt his absence on defense. The coaching staff were looking forward to his return to solidify the lineup in key divisional matchups.
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