As the Buffalo Bills prepare for the 2026 NFL season, Bills Wire will take a look at the most important contributors on their roster. The team has some cornerstone players who will be returning for another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Buffalo, and they’ll have help from some new additions as well.
Leading up to the season, we will be counting down the top-30 most important players on the roster. We’ll recap their 2025 season, look ahead to what they’ll offer in 2026, and tackle the most pressing questions surrounding them this coming year.
Advertisement
Next on the countdown is Ed Oliver.
Position: Defensive tackle
Age at start of season: 28
Experience: eighth year
2026 cap hit: $13,663,060
Ed Oliver’s 2025 campaign was a rough one from an injury standpoint. He suffered an ankle injury in the season opener, which held him out until Week 6. Then, in Week 8, Oliver suffered a torn bicep which held him out for the rest of the regular season. To make matters worse, he suffered a meniscus injury while rehabbing the bicep. He ended his regular season with three sacks, seven TFL, and one forced fumble in just three games. He was miraculously able to get back onto the field for the divisional-round loss.
Advertisement
Oliver will play a big part in the defensive front under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. He can play at the 4i “defensive end” spot in the new 3-4 front and is looking to be disruptive in his bounce-back season after missing 15 total games last year. Oliver’s locked in as a starter on the line and will be an important veteran voice and leader on a young defense that’s in a transition phase to a new system.
Oliver looked explosive in training camp, and also looked good in his limited preseason action. Still, he isn’t far removed from a handful of injuries that derailed his 2025 season. He is just a couple seasons removed from a 9.5-sack year. If he proves to return to his pre-injury form, it would make things a whole lot easier for Jim Leonhard and the Bills defense as they navigate their first season in a new defense.
Advertisement
Check back as we continue the countdown on our list of the 30 most important Bills ahead of the 2026 season.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 30 most important Bills players of 2026: No. 9 Ed Oliver
