Bills Injury Report: Several key players missing time ahead of Week 4 vs. Saints which could impact Sean McDermott’s game plan

The Buffalo Bills are a little banged up heading into their Week 4 matchup.

Adam Zientek NFL News Writer
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Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott during the second half at MetLife Stadium.
Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints are set for action in Week 4 on Sunday, September 28. On Thursday, the Bills released their injury report, which revealed that some key playmakers on both sides of the football will be missing time.

Earlier in the week, head coach Sean McDermott announced that linebacker Matt Milano, defensive tackle Ed Oliver, and offensive lineman Spencer Brown would be unable to practice due to various injuries. On Thursday, it was more of the same with those three players all unable to practice, giving the fan base some worries heading into the Week 4 showdown.

Thursday Buffalo Bills injury report

Player Injury W/T/F Designation
OL Spencer BrownCalfDNP/DNP
DE AJ EpenesaPectoralLimited/Limited
LB Matt MilanoPectoralLimited/Limited
DT Ed OliverAnkleDNP/DNP

Cause for concern on both sides of the football

Another surprise addition on Wednesday was that of defensive end AJ Epenesa, who McDermott didn’t mention as having an injury, but appeared on the injury report nevertheless. Oliver has been sidelined for a few weeks after sustaining an injury to his ankle ahead of the Week 2 contest against the New York Jets and hasn’t been able to perform since. Milano suffered an injury during the victory against the Jets in Week 2, and both Oliver and Milano were sidelined for the ‘Thursday Night Football’ victory against the Dolphins.

Buffalo is undefeated on the season, all while missing some key playmakers along the way. Outside of the injury report, McDermott gave a worrying update on rookie first-round pick and cornerback Maxwell Hairston. The head coach said “when and if” Hairston returns from injured reserve. On Monday, the Bills can activate Hairston to return and open up his 21-day practice window if they think that he’s ready to compete.

Perhaps the most significant potential blow would be that of Brown missing any key time. The offensive line is one of the strongest in the NFL, excelling at both protecting quarterback Josh Allen and creating running lanes for running back James Cook. Out of all the injuries, Brown’s is the one to keep an eye out for as the week progresses.