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The Super Bowl challenger Buffalo Bills have been dealt a serious injury blow with the news that star defensive tackle Ed Oliver is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Oliver came off hurt in the final moments of the Bills' blowout 40-9 victory over the Carolina Panthers, with the team soon citing a 'bicep injury'.
NFL insider Adam Schefter is now reporting that the injury is understood to be a serious one, with the team fearing he has torn the muscle and will be sidelined indefinitely.
He reports that Oliver is set to undergo an MRI scan on Monday to shed further light on the severity of the injury.
The news comes as a significant blow to a team deep in its Super Bowl window, with Oliver one of the standout players on the defense.
In Week 1, he had a monster game against the Baltimore Ravens and finished with three tackles for loss, forcing the Derrick Henry fumble that turned the game.
Oliver suffered the injury just prior to the two-minute warning at the end of the Panthers game, trying to stop a rushing play by Carolina's Chuba Hubbard.
As he fell to the ground, the 27-year-old could be seen wincing and holding his bicep, before walking off the field with athletic trainers.
He has three sacks in three games played so far this season, but it looks likely that he won't take to the field for some time if his bicep tear is confirmed.
The Bills have been hit hard at the defensive tackle position, with DaQuan Jones missing the past two games with a calf injury and rookie TJ Sanders on injured reserve.
2024 third rounder DeWayne Carter is also on season-ending IR after suffering a torn Achilles before the season began.
The only healthy DTs on the roster now are rookie Deone Walker and free agent addition Larry Ogunjobie, and it is now expected that the team will have to make a roster move to bolster their options.
