Buffalo Bills To Get Key Pieces Back Ahead Of Playoff Game
The Buffalo Bills just got a massive shot in the arm. Just hours before their Divisional Round clash with the Denver Broncos, the team announced the return of Defensive Tackle Ed Oliver and Wide Receiver Curtis Samuel from injured reserve. How will they look on the gridiron?
The Big Men Are Back
Let’s talk about Oliver first, because his return feels borderline miraculous. The man hasn’t seen the field since late October. He tore his biceps, got surgery, then somehow damaged his meniscus during rehab and needed another procedure in late December.
Most players would have packed it in, ordered some takeout, and started looking at 2026. Not Oliver. “I kind of just stayed the course even when the tunnel seemed dark,” Oliver said this week.
In the three games he actually played this season, Oliver was a wrecking ball—3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. He says he feels “fresh,” which makes sense since he hasn’t been banging bodies in the trenches for three months. If he can give the Bills even 20-30 snaps of high-level disruption, that Denver offensive line is going to have a long afternoon.
Reinforcements For the Air Attack
On the offensive side, getting Samuel back is huge, especially given how thin the receiver room has become. The Bills lost Tyrell Shavers and Gabe Davis to ACL tears last week against Jacksonville (rough break, truly), so the depth chart was looking a little skeletal.
Samuel hasn’t played since mid-November due to elbow and neck issues, and his season stat line is modest, but the playoffs are a new season. His versatility and speed are exactly what Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady needs to open up the playbook against a stingy Broncos defense.
To add a little more juice, the Bills also elevated speedster Mecole Hardman Jr. and Running Back Frank Gore Jr. from the practice squad. With Running Back Ty Johnson listed as questionable with an ankle injury, seeing the name “Gore” in a Bills backfield again brings a nice wave of nostalgia.
What This Means For the Matchup
Going into Mile High to face the top-seeded Broncos was never going to be a walk in the park. Denver is 14-3 for a reason. But football is a game of attrition, and getting key starters back while your opponent is trying to maintain their stamina is a massive swing.
Coach Sean McDermott praised Oliver’s work ethic, noting that despite the setbacks, he “attacked it head-on.” That mentality seems to be permeating the whole roster. They aren’t just limping into the Divisional Round; they’re reloading.
Kickoff is Saturday at 4:30 PM ET. The Bills are currently 1.5-point underdogs, but with Oliver anchoring the middle and Samuel adding a spark to the passing game, those odds might not reflect the new reality on the field.
