Bills rule out Ed Oliver against the Jets because of an ankle injury he suffered at practice

Audio By Carbonatix

Enlarge

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott said Friday defensive tackle Ed Oliver had his left ankle stepped on at practice and will not play against the New York Jets, leaving the team thin at the position and without a starter who made a game-changing impact in a season-opening win over the Baltimore Ravens.

McDermott said Oliver hurt his ankle on Wednesday. The coach didn’t reveal the nature of the injury or timetable for Oliver’s return. The Bills face a short turnaround next week in hosting the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night following their game at New York on Sunday.

“I think there’s a chance, I don’t know what that chance is,” McDermott said about Oliver’s odds of playing Thursday.

Though acknowledging some soreness, Oliver did not address the injury when speaking with reporters following practice. He did not practice Thursday and was spotted wearing a boot following the team’s walk-through.

The Bills are already thin at tackle behind Oliver and fellow starter DaQuan Jones.

Offseason free-agent addition Larry Ogunjobi is serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancers. Buffalo has only two backups on the active roster in rookies T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker.

The Bills have two tackles on their practice squad in Jordan Phillips, who returned last month for a fifth stint with Buffalo, and Zion Logue.

Oliver’s injury follows one of the most impactful performances of the 2019 first-round draft pick’s seven-year career in a 41-40 win over Baltimore in which the Bills overcame a 15-point deficit in the final minutes.

Oliver helped spark the rally by forcing Derrick Henry’s fumble with 3:10 remaining. He finished with six tackles, a sack and three tackles for losses.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl