The Buffalo Bills were dealt a devastating blow in the middle of the defense earlier this season when star defensive tackle Ed Oliver went down with an injury.
Oliver suffered what was later diagnosed as a torn biceps injury in Week 8 and the issue is expected to sideline him for a significant amount of time.
It goes without saying how awful an injury that was for the Bills, who were already struggling defensively with Oliver in the lineup.
Buffalo has struggled to get after the quarterback (20 sacks) and the defense is the worst in the NFL against the run.
Luckily for the Bills, they figure to still have the horses to get to the playoffs, but not having Oliver would seriously hurt the team's Super Bowl chances.
So, that begs the question: will Oliver be back for the playoffs?
Here's what we know.
Will Ed Oliver return for playoffs?
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the belief is Oliver could be back by the first week of the playoffs.
"My understanding is he's going to miss the rest of the regular season," Rapoport said. "There is a real chance that Oliver is back for the first round or maybe even second round of the playoffs for the Bills."
Oliver recently provided an update on Instagram that included a shot of his healing scars from the surgery and the range of motion he has already.
All in all, it looks like Oliver's recovery is moving in the right direction, which adds more optimism to the idea he might make it back for the most important part of the 2025 season.
More NFL News
- Joe Burrow shows yet another sign he's going to play in Week 12
- Bucky Irving injury update from Bucs legend is bad news for Week 12
- How Woody Marks passed Nick Chubb on Texans' RB depth chart
- Steelers, Bills named best landing spots for former 1,000-yard WR
- Steelers' Warren, Gainwell usage plan confirmed by ESPN insider