Bills Injury Update: Star Lotulelei, Tommy Sweeney to Miss Bucs Game

"I know he's frustrated," McDermott said, "and sometimes you have those seasons where things come up more than other seasons, and not only as an individual but as a team. ... We just want him to get as healthy as he can as soon as he can."

Because of what Lotulelei is asked to do on the interior of their defensive line, he doesn't tend to accumulate big statistics. But his presence often can be quantified by how well others do when he's holding down the middle and fighting off double teams and so forth.

"There's a sense of veteran leadership when he's around our team," McDermott said, "and there's also the beef and the ability to clog things up inside and then also push the pocket in the past game."

Lotulelei's health issues have created opportunities for fellow DTs Eli Ankou and Brandin Bryant to be called up from the practice squad.

"They're two guys that have helped us, I think in particular that Saints game coming off of that Colts game," McDermott said, "and they give us some size inside. So we try and balance that out a little bit with some of the other guys we have out there.

"They have worked extremely hard. Brandin's been with us a little bit longer than Eli, but both have been tremendous in terms of their team-first approach, their willingness to work while they wait to get their chance, and I think that's been admirable. And now they've gotten a chance. That's fun to watch."

More fun: The Bills don't have anything to worry about with DT Ed Oliver, who was listed as being limited in practice on Thursday with a chest injury he didn't have the day before.

"He just got grazed in practice yesterday in the chest area," McDermott said, "so I've gotten the word that he's fine."