Buffalo Bills defensive tackle T.J. Sanders is out indefinitely after undergoing an appendectomy Tuesday, adding another absence to a defensive front that has already needed its depth early this season.
Coach Joe Brady confirmed the surgery Wednesday but did not provide a timetable for Sanders to return. The second year lineman had been projected to start, yet he has not appeared in either of Buffalo's first two games because of a knee injury. The appendectomy now creates a separate obstacle to his season debut.
Buffalo is 2 wins and 0 losses after beating Detroit 41 to 31 last Thursday. The Bills host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, and the defensive line will again require careful management with Sanders unavailable.
The concern extends beyond one position. Brady also did not offer a new update Wednesday on defensive tackle Ed Oliver, who injured his hip during warmups before the Detroit game. Receiver DJ Moore is dealing with a shoulder injury sustained during that victory.
Sanders entered the season as an important piece of Buffalo's interior rotation. The Bills selected him in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft after his college career at South Carolina, and his combination of size and interior quickness gave him a path toward a larger role in his second professional season.
His delayed return places more responsibility on the rest of the defensive front. Deone Walker has drawn praise inside the building for his early play, while Buffalo also brought veteran defensive lineman Austin Johnson back on its practice squad Wednesday. Johnson previously played for the Bills in 2024.
The Bills have not indicated whether Sanders will require an injured reserve move. For now, his status remains open ended, and the absence of a recovery timetable makes his availability beyond Sunday's game uncertain.
Buffalo has started quickly, but its defensive line health has become one of the team's clearest early season issues. Sanders was already working back from the knee problem. His surgery means the Bills will have to keep winning without a projected starter for an undetermined period.
*Featured image courtesy of the Buffalo Bills.*