Buffalo Bills' Injury Updates: Ed Oliver Present, Two Starting WRs Absent on Thursday

The Buffalo Bills returned to the practice field on Thursday afternoon in Orchard Park, and defensive lineman Ed Oliver joined them.

As the Bills prepare for their September 27 matinee against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers, Oliver, who missed the September 17 home tilt after tweaking his hip during pregame warmups, was seen participating in individual drills during the media-viewing portion of Thursday's session (h/t WGR's Sal Cappaccio).

It's certainly a positive sign for Oliver after the veteran was absent Wednesday.

In a disappointing development, wide receivers DJ Moore and Keon Coleman were not spotted by reporters in attendance. Moore's absence comes following limited participation on Wednesday while Coleman is missing for the second straight practice.

"There's gonna be some things injury wise that we're gonna have to evaluate throughout the week," said Bills' first-year head coach Joe Brady before practice on Wednesday.

Ed Oliver's hip

Not on the Week 2 iniury report, Oliver's problem popped up as a pregame surprise shortly before the Bills were required to declare inactives for the Thursday Night Football victory over the Detroit Lions.

Scratched from the lineup, Oliver appeared to have suffered a right hip flexor strain. Although it is not a long-term injury, it may be enough to prevent the defensive tackle from suiting up against the Chargers.

"It's not surgical, but this certainly puts next week in doubt, even given the extra time from a Thursday to Sunday turnaround," said football injury expert Dr. David Chao, who spent 17 years as a NFL team physician.

Sep 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver (91) reacts after a play during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

DJ Moore's shoulder

The Bills' WR1 came down hard on his shoulder crashing to the ground while diving for a pass in the end zone in Week 2. He never returned to the game, but tests showed the injury is nothing more than an AC joint sprain that carries a day-to-day status.

With Moore having practiced on Wednesday wearing a red non-contact jersey, his Thursday absence could simply be a planned day for test and treatment. After all, the main issue with AC joint injuries is usually related to pain tolerance.

"[He] will likely need a game day AC joint injection to play effectively," said Chao.

Moore, who has not missed a start since December 2020, addressed reporters in a media scrum after Wednesday's practice.

"Felt great. Still gotta go through some things, but we gonna be good," said Moore.

Keon Coleman's ankle

Coleman's injury status comes as somewhat of a surprise being that he played the entire second half after tweaking his right ankle in the second quarter against the Lions. Furthermore, he was effective as the Bills' most-used wide receiver in the 41-31 win.

The back-to-back absences suggest that the ankle responded poorly in the days after the game, and it could require a week or two off. Normally, one would expect Coleman to play after the long layoff, but this issue is likely connected to his preseason ankle problem.

Sep 17, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) tackles Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) during the first half at New Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Coleman rolled the same right ankle in an August 15 exhibition game against the Carolina Panthers, forcing him into using a walking boot for about one week.

The WR injuries could mean that fourth-round rookie Skyler Bell makes his debut in Week 3.

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