Ed Oliver injury opens up door of opportunity for Bills' rookie DT on MNF

The Buffalo Bills will be without their star defensive tackle Ed Oliver once again on Monday Night Football. Not having one of your best players on a unit that has been struggling this season puts the Bills at a disadvantage already. However, Oliver is unfortunately part of the problem when it comes to stopping the run so maybe it isn’t a huge disadvantage.

At the same time, going up against a Jets offense that will be looking to bounce back from their bad start this year, Buffalo’s defense cannot allow Aaron Rodgers and the Jets offense to shine under the lights. In addition, the Jets have a physical running game between Breece Hall and Braelon Allen. However, Hall has been off to a very rough start in 2024.

He has averaged just three yards per carry, racking up only 197 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Last year against the Bills in Week 1, Hall rushed for 127 yards alone. He will be looking to have that kind of production again.

With Oliver being out for this game, this opens up the door for rookie defensive tackle DeWayne Carter who the Bills drafted in the third round out of Duke. Carter didn’t get any production the first three games of the season, but has been involved with the defense the last two games.

DeWayne Carter has prime opportunity to make an impact in primetime

Believe it or not, Carter has similar numbers as Oliver in terms of what we expect per game this year. They each have right around three total tackles per game. The good news for Carter is that he doesn’t need to be a three-down player as the Bills like to rotate their guys on each series. However, Carter will have to play a vital role in pressuring Aaron Rodgers and containing the Jets’ rushing attack.

Getting drafted in the third round, Carter is viewed as a future starter for this franchise, otherwise it was a waste of a pick for Brandon Beane. If Carter can show some spark and prove that he will fit in nicely with the defense against a division rival under the lights, he will be able to earn respect and recognition from Bills fans.

More Bills Coverage: