Bills to be without key defensive lineman vs Jets: What we know

For the second straight week, the Buffalo Bills defensive line will be depleted as coach Sean McDermott announced Saturday that defensive tackle Ed Oliver won't be available for Monday night's game against the New York Jets.

How was Ed Oliver injured?

Oliver suffered a hamstring injury on the Thursday before the Houston game and has not practiced since. Further, the status of backup DT Austin Johnson, who also missed the Texans game, remains up in the air. He will be listed as questionable.

Who is Ed Oliver's backup?

With Oliver out of the lineup again, and the possibility of Johnson being down as well, the Bills will lean on rookie DeWayne Carter, the third-round pick who saw his most extensive playing time in Houston. Carter played 36 snaps, made three tackles including two for lost yardage, and he had two QB pressures.

DaQuan Jones, who has not been as effective through five games as he was at the start of 2023 when he was playing at a Pro Bowl level before suffering a torn pectoral muscle, also needs to pick up the slack in Oliver’s absence. He had his best performance of the season against the Texans with four tackles and three pressures on 35 snaps.

Last week, with Oliver and Johnson out, the Bills used newly-acquired rookie Zion Logue and practice squad elevation Branson Deen to fill out the DT rotation. They played a combined 20 snaps and Logue had one tackle. Another possibility would be to elevate Eli Ankou from the practice squad, a player who has more size than Deen.

Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for four decades including 35 years as the full-time beat writer for the D&C, and he has written numerous books about the history of the team. He can be reached at maiorana@gannett.com, and you can follow him on Twitter @salmaiorana. https://profile.democratandchronicle.com/newsletters/bills-blast

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This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills to be without key defensive lineman vs Jets: What we know