"Just days before the opener, the Buffalo Bills have lost a key member of their defense for the season.

Outside linebacker Angelo Crowell was placed on the injured reserve list Thursday evening, just three hours after head coach Dick Jauron announced that Crowell had elected to have arthroscopic surgery on a troublesome left knee.

Such a procedure usually requires only one to four weeks of recovery time. However, there was talk within the team after practice that Crowell’s injury was could be season-ending.

Crowell dealt with knee problems throughout training camp, missing several days of practice because of persistent swelling. He hadn’t missed any practice time this week, which is why Jauron was caught off guard by Crowell’s decision to have surgery.

“It came pretty much out of the blue,” Jauron said before Crowell was placed on I. R. “It was certainly nothing that we saw coming. But that’s kind of the way our business is.

“It’s not as we would have planned it or would have liked it certainly, but it’s the way it is. We’ll just keep working. We’ll

work with the situations we have and go forward and be optimistic and be confident because that’s where we are.”

A third-round draft pick in 2003, Crowell was entering his fourth year as a starter. He was the only defensive player to start every game last season.

It remains to be seen what affect the knee injury will have on his future with the Bills. He was entering the final year of his contract, but no substantive talks between the Bills and Crowell have taken place. Crowell’s agent, Todd France, could not be reached for comment.

Crowell’s absence this season is a setback to a defense expected to be much improved with the arrival of defensive tackle Marcus Stroud and outside linebacker Kawika Mitchell via free agency and the return of second- year middle linebacker Paul Posluszny and third-year free safety Ko Simpson from season-ending injuries.

“It’s a pretty big surprise,” said Keith Ellison, who will replace Crowell on the strong side. “Cro has been practicing pretty well the last few weeks. I guess his knee just was bothering him a little too much to keep playing on it. The biggest thing is get him healthy and get him back as soon as possible.”

Without Crowell, the Bills are dangerously thin at linebacker. They have only five healthy bodies left on the roster. The backups are John DiGiorgio and Orchard Park native Jon Corto, who moved from safety to linebacker only a few weeks ago. Rookie Marcus Buggs is on the practice squad. "