The Buffalo Bills suffered an unexpected defensive setback when Ed Oliver sustained a hip injury during pregame warmups before Thursday night's game against the Detroit Lions.
Oliver had not appeared on Buffalo's previous injury report for the matchup, making his late inactive designation particularly unexpected.
Oliver was productive in Week 1
The defensive tackle's absence is significant because Oliver had delivered a strong performance in Buffalo's season opener.
Against the Houston Texans, he recorded five tackles, including one for loss, along with a quarterback hit.
His ability to generate interior pressure has made him an important part of Buffalo's defensive front.
Bills must evaluate Oliver's injury
Buffalo will now have to determine the severity of the hip injury and how much time Oliver may need to recover.
The Bills have depth along the defensive line, but a multi-week absence would require other interior defenders to take on additional snaps.
Buffalo leaves Week 2 at 2-0
Despite Oliver's absence, Buffalo defeated Detroit 41-31 and improved to 2-0 on the season.
The Bills will now have additional time to evaluate Oliver before determining whether he will be available for their next game and whether any further roster moves will be necessary.