Defensive Line Needs Help Amid Injuries for the Buffalo Bills

As the Buffalo Bills enter the final stretch of the regular season, fighting to secure the AFC’s top seed and a first-round playoff bye, a growing crisis on the defensive line has emerged as their most pressing challenge. What began as a minor injury to a rotational lineman has snowballed into a depth crisis: in the span of three weeks, the Bills have lost three key defensive linemen to injuries, leaving their once-stout run defense and pass rush looking vulnerable. For a team that relies on its defense to slow down elite AFC opponents like the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, the defensive line’s struggles aren’t just a personnel issue—they’re a threat to their Super Bowl aspirations. Defensive Line Needs Help Amid Injuries for the Buffalo Bills examines the extent of the injury crisis, its impact on the Bills’ defense, and the creative solutions the team is using to patch the gaps.

Defensive Line Needs Help Amid Injuries for the Buffalo Bills starts with the timeline of injuries that depleted the Bills’ defensive line depth. The first blow came in Week 12, when defensive tackle DaQuan Jones—who had started all 11 games to that point, recording 2 sacks and 15 tackles—suffered a knee sprain against the Philadelphia Eagles. Jones was placed on injured reserve (IR) the next day, ruling him out for at least four games. Just two weeks later, in Week 14’s win over the Chiefs, defensive end Greg Rousseau left the game with a hamstring injury after recording a sack in the first quarter. Initial tests showed a moderate strain, and the Bills listed him as questionable for Week 15—a designation that quickly turned to out after he couldn’t practice. The final, and most devastating, injury came in Week 15 against the Miami Dolphins: defensive tackle Ed Oliver, the Bills’ highest-paid defensive lineman and a Pro Bowl alternate, exited early with a ankle injury. Postgame MRI results confirmed a high ankle sprain, and Oliver was placed on IR, joining Jones on the sidelines. “Losing three key guys in three weeks is tough—there’s no way around it,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott admitted after the Dolphins game. “Our defensive line has been the backbone of our defense, and now we’re being tested in a way we haven’t been all season.”

The impact of these injuries has been immediate and visible in the Bills’ defensive performance, particularly in run defense and pass-rush production. Before the injury crisis (Weeks 1-11), the Bills ranked 6th in the NFL in run defense, allowing just 96 yards per game, and 8th in sacks, with 34 total. Since Week 12 (the first game without Jones), those numbers have plummeted: they’ve fallen to 18th in run defense (118 yards per game) and 14th in sacks (adding just 8 in four games). The most glaring example came in Week 15, when the Dolphins rushed for 162 yards and two touchdowns—including a 45-yard run by Raheem Mostert that broke the Bills’ defensive line for a score. Without Oliver and Jones clogging the middle, opposing running backs have found gaps to exploit, and quarterbacks have had more time to throw. “We’re not getting the push up front we’re used to,” defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said. “When you lose guys like DaQuan and Ed, who can occupy two blockers at once, it makes everything harder—our linebackers have to cover more ground, and our edge rushers have to work harder to get to the quarterback.” The pass rush, which had been a strength, has also suffered: Joey Bosa, acquired via trade in October to boost the edge, has recorded just 1 sack in the three games since Rousseau’s injury, as opposing offensive lines have shifted extra blockers his way.

A critical aspect of Defensive Line Needs Help Amid Injuries for the Buffalo Bills is the team’s short-term fixes to plug the gaps—including practice-squad elevations and position shifts. With Jones and Oliver on IR, and Rousseau sidelined, the Bills have turned to a mix of veteran backups and practice-squad players to fill the rotation. The most notable promotion has been defensive tackle Tim Settle, a four-year NFL veteran who was signed to the practice squad in November after being released by the Cleveland Browns. Settle started in place of Oliver against the Dolphins, recording 4 tackles and a quarterback hit—a performance that earned him another start in Week 16. The Bills have also elevated defensive end Kingsley Jonathan from the practice squad, and they’ve shifted linebacker A.J. Epenesa to defensive end in passing situations to add depth. “We’re asking guys to step up and play roles they haven’t played all season, and so far, they’re responding,” McDermott said. “Tim Settle did a great job against Miami, and Kingsley has shown he can contribute in limited snaps. We’re not looking for perfection—we’re looking for effort, and that’s what we’re getting.” The Buffalo Bills have also explored external options, working out free-agent defensive tackles like Sheldon Rankins and Ndamukong Suh, though no signings have been announced yet. The team’s front office has indicated they’re willing to add a player if the right fit becomes available, but they’re hesitant to disrupt the locker room chemistry this late in the season.

Another important angle is how these injuries are testing the Bills’ depth and long-term roster strategy. The Bills have long prided themselves on building deep rosters, especially on defense, but the defensive line injuries have exposed a flaw: they didn’t have enough proven backups to replace Pro Bowl-caliber players like Oliver and Jones. Part of the issue stems from salary-cap constraints: the Bills have invested heavily in their defensive line (Oliver is on a four-year, \(68 million deal; Jones signed a two-year, \)14 million contract in 2023), leaving less room to sign high-quality backups. “We built this roster to win now, and that means prioritizing starters over depth in some areas,” general manager Brandon Beane said in a recent interview. “We knew there was a risk if we had multiple injuries, but you can’t cover every scenario with the salary cap. Now, we’re dealing with that risk, and we have to find a way to win through it.” The Buffalo Bills have also leaned on their coaching staff to adjust schematically: they’ve used more 3-4 alignments instead of their usual 4-3, allowing linebackers to line up as edge rushers and defensive backs to blitz. This shift has helped generate pressure in some games (they had 3 sacks in Week 16 against the New England Patriots), but it has also left them vulnerable to the run, as fewer linemen are in the box.

Wrapping up Defensive Line Needs Help Amid Injuries for the Buffalo Bills is the silver lining: the team’s ability to adapt, and the potential return of key players for the playoffs. The Bills’ IR designations for Jones and Oliver mean they’re eligible to return in Week 17 or the first round of the playoffs—timing that could be critical if the Bills secure a bye. Rousseau, meanwhile, has been practicing on a limited basis in Week 16, and McDermott has hinted he could return for Week 17’s regular-season finale against the Jets. “Having those guys back would be a game-changer for us,” Frazier said. “But even if they’re not ready right away, we’ve learned that our backup guys can get the job done—they just need time to adjust.” For the Bills, the injury crisis has also been a bonding experience: players on both offense and defense have spoken about rallying together, with quarterback Josh Allen saying, “We’re a team—when one unit is struggling, the rest of us have to step up. Our offense has to score more points, our special teams has to make plays, and we have to support our defense however we can.” As the Bills head into the final week of the regular season, they’re still in control of their own destiny for the AFC’s No. 1 seed. Defensive Line Needs Help Amid Injuries for the Buffalo Bills isn’t just a story about adversity—it’s a story about resilience. The Bills have faced tough challenges before, and they’re confident they can face this one head-on, knowing that if they can patch their defensive line long enough to make the playoffs, they’ll have a chance to compete for a Super Bowl.