The Buffalo Bills are missing multiple key defenders for the wild-card game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday and star defensive tackle Ed Oliver is among them.
Oliver has been on injured reserve since Oct. 28 after suffering a torn biceps injury, and there was a negative update recently, as it was revealed the Bills defender has suffered meniscus damage while rehabbing.
While troubling, Bills head coach Sean McDermott noted that Oliver is recovering well from the knee issue.
"He looks like he's doing well from that," McDermott said Wednesday.
But does that mean there's no chance Oliver can return if the Bills advance deep into the playoffs? Here's what we know.
Will Ed Oliver return during playoffs?
The initial belief was that Oliver could return if the Bills make a deep playoff run, but McDermott, who previously said Oliver could return in the postseason, admitted this new issue puts his ability to do so in question.
"It probably adds a little bit of cloudiness to his return window," McDermott said. "So, I don't have as much clarity on that return, but there's still a chance that it's somewhere where they initially forecasted it to be."
That said, McDermott also noted that Oliver could "potentially" still return in the playoffs, but he didn't "want to commit to it yet."
Given everything we know, Oliver's odds to return next week are probably 50/50, at best, but those chances will likely increase the further the Bills advance.
Getting Oliver back at any point in the playoffs would offer a significant boost for the Bills, as he's easily the team's best defender and his presence would improve Buffalo's pass-rush and run defense, even if he plays limited snaps.
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