In Week 8, the Buffalo Bills took care of business relatively easily against Carolina, beating up on the Andy Dalton-led Panthers 40-9, but it came at a significant cost, with Ed Oliver leaving the game with an injury to his arm.

When the dust settled, it became official: Oliver has a torn bicep and will be out of action for the foreseeable future following surgery. However, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, this doesn't mean Oliver's season is over, as he could return in the playoffs if everything works out.

Bills coach Sean McDermott announced that DT Ed Oliver does have a torn biceps and will be getting surgery,” Rapoport wrote. “There is a chance he's back for the playoffs.”
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Initially drafted with the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Oliver has been a force for the Bills in 2025 when he takes the field, recording three sacks in three appearances for Buffalo. While the Bills have already had to play part of the season without Oliver, his extended absence, when coupled with injuries to other tackles like DaQuan Jones and T.J. Sanders, could put real pressure on Sean McDermott's defensive line, which has relied on Deone Walker, Larry Ogunjobi, and Jordan Phillips from the practice squad to help fill up interior snaps.

At 5-2, the Bills are in the driver's seat of the AFC East, even as the New England Patriots look like their mid-2000s self under new head coach Mike Vrabel. Assuming they can weather this absence, it's safe to assume Oliver will have a chance to play once more before the Bills' season comes to an end.