The Buffalo Bills suffered some attrition before and during their playoff win in Jacksonville against the Jaguars. Wide receivers Joshua Palmer and Gabe Davis are both lost for the rest of the campaign, Palmer with an ankle injury and Davis with a torn ACL. The defense also lost Jordan Poyer during the game with a hamstring injury, and head coach Sean McDermott confirmed that he won’t play against the Denver Broncos next week.
But among the bad news, McDermott did offer two spots of hope for the Bills’ roster. Defensive tackle Ed Oliver and wide receiver Curtis Samuel are getting back on the practice field this week, opening their 21-day windows to return to the active roster.
If either player can get back on the field, then the Bills will have two veterans to count on as they make a run for Super Bowl LX.
Ed Oliver’s potential return changes everything for the Bills’ defense
Naturally, the potential return of Oliver to the defensive front is massive news for the Bills Mafia’s postseason hopes. The Bills’ shaky run defense struggled against the Jaguars last Sunday, allowing Jacksonville to rack up an average of 154 yards at 6.7 yards per carry.
There’s been an underlying hope that Oliver would make his return in the postseason after landing on Injured Reserve in late October with a torn biceps. Surgery on his meniscus damped the hope, but thankfully, it sounds like the Bills can count on getting Oliver back soon.
Oliver is arguably the best player on the Bills’ defense, and having his veteran presence back on the defensive front will go a long way in correcting the defense’s struggles against the run and boost the pass rush, too.
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As for Samuel, he, like most of Buffalo’s receiving unit, wasn’t particularly productive before he went on IR with neck and elbow injuries in late November. He caught just seven passes 81 yards and a touchdown in six games.
Samuel wasn’t great in his first season with Buffalo last year either. He caught 31 passes for 264 yards and a score, less than half of the production he found in the two seasons prior with the Washington Commanders.
Nonetheless, it’s all hands on deck in the Bills’ receiving group. With Davis and Palmer on the shelf, Samuels will no doubt get some looks if he gets back on the field.