SB Nation - Justin Jenkins

Owens, four others questionable for Patriots game

Brian Galliford — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:18:49 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens, who missed practice on Thursday and Friday due to illness, has been listed as questionable for Sunday's home tilt with the New England Patriots.

Owens, who has 45 receptions for 705 yards and 4 touchdowns on the season, is Buffalo's leading receiver. The upset-minded Bills would likely be forced to start Josh Reed next to veteran Lee Evans on Sunday if Owens can't go. Owens was in team meetings on Friday, reports BuffaloBills.com, and Owens has been listed as questionable and played in games earlier this season.

Coming up on the end of the one-year, $6.5 million deal he signed this past March, Owens may be embarking on the final three games of his Buffalo career. He will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Meanwhile, three other players - left tackle Jonathan Scott, reserve tackle Jamon Meredith and special teamer Justin Jenkins - are listed as questionable alongside Owens. Unlike T.O., all three participated in practice on Friday.

Jairus Byrd, who continues to deal with a groin injury, is listed as probable.

To close out the week, head coach Perry Fewell had the Bills practicing outdoors. Here's a worthy note from WGR 550:

Andy Levitre was the only Bill to brave the frigid outdoor practice in short sleeves, and scoffed at the idea of wearing long sleeves.

Bills send LT Demetrius Bell to IR

Brian Galliford — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:42:10 -0000

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Update: BuffaloBills.com is now reporting that D-Bell has been placed on Injured Reserve, ending his 2009 season. OL Andre Ramsey was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster. End Update

Three Buffalo Bills players will miss the team's Week 14 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, but of those sitting, left tackle Demetrius Bell is the only starter. This according to BuffaloBills.com.

Bell, who began the season as the starting left tackle, has missed all or part of the Bills' last four games as he deals with a knee injury that might prevent him from playing again this season. That streak now extends to five games. Also out for this contest are tight end Joe Klopfenstein (who re-joined the team this week) and receiver Justin Jenkins.

Jonathan Scott will again start at left tackle in place of Bell. Kirk Chambers, who is questionable this week but is expected to play, will start at right tackle. Andy Levitre, Ryan Denney, Chris Draft and Jairus Byrd are all questionable as well, but BuffaloBills.com reports that it's anticipated that all players listed as questionable will be in the lineup.

Shawn Nelson, John McCargo and Ashton Youboty are all probable. McCargo and Youboty have each missed action in the past few weeks, but will be available this week.

Meanwhile, Terrence McGee, who was active but did not start in the Bills' Week 13 loss to the Jets, practiced fully all week and will start in Kansas City.

Fewell sticks with Fitzpatrick at QB, Levitre at LT

Brian Galliford — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:00:30 -0000

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Various news outlets - we'll link WGR 550 and Paul Hamilton, since it's been a while - are reporting that Ryan Fitzpatrick is taking first-team reps at quarterback in Perry Fewell's first practice as interim head coach of the Buffalo Bills. Fewell confirmed this fact after practice. That bit of news confirms an NFL.com report from Wednesday - prior to the firing of Dick Jauron - that Fitzpatrick would be the club's starter.

With Demetrius Bell dealing with a knee injury, rookie lineman Andy Levitre lined up at left tackle in practice on Wednesday, again according to Hamilton. Levitre saw his first reps of the season at that position last week in Tennessee after Bell left the game at halftime. Replacing Levitre at left guard was, and remains, Seth McKinney. If that move is permanent, Levitre will become the sixth player to line up at either tackle position for Buffalo this season, and the third on the left side.

Additionally, Chris Brown at BuffaloBills.com is reporting that, while safety Donte Whitner and defensive tackle Kyle Williams are back on the practice field, several players missed today's session. That list includes Roscoe Parrish, Justin Jenkins, Bell, Jonathan Scott, Marcus Stroud, Keith Ellison, Terrence McGee, Ashton Youboty and Jairus Byrd. McGee, recovering from knee surgery, worked with trainers on the sideline. Scott was absent as he continues to mourn the passing of his father.

One last note: converted strong safety Bryan Scott continues to take practice reps at linebacker, again according to Brown. That likely won't change until Ellison returns to the lineup.

Bills close pre-season with 17-6 loss to Detroit

Brian Galliford — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:10:10 -0000

The Buffalo Bills closed their 2009 pre-season schedule with a 17-6 home loss to the Detroit Lions. Buffalo did not score an offensive touchdown in either of their final two pre-season games, and the only starters that took the field in tonight's contest were the five starters along the offensive line.

Ryan Fitzpatrick started at quarterback, completing 9 of 17 passes for 78 yards; Gibran Hamdan took over in the second half, also completing 9 of 17 passes for 163 yards. Both quarterbacks threw interceptions. Meanwhile, rookie DE Aaron Maybin had a sack and a forced fumble on top overall draft pick QB Matthew Stafford in the first quarter. Two other defensive rookies turned in big nights, as FS Jairus Byrd recorded an interception and LB Nic Harris led the team with a dozen tackles.

Bills head coach Dick Jauron mentioned in post-game interviews that the decision was made to rest his starters because preparations for the team's season-opening game in New England have already begun. In particular, in regards to QB Trent Edwards, Jauron mentioned that he "did him a disservice" by playing him without a game plan over the past two weeks, and did not want to repeat the feat tonight. Edwards spent the entirety of the past week running plays in the New England game plan, and the staff did not feel there would be anything to gain by playing Edwards without a game plan again this evening. The same can be said for the entirety of the starting defense.

WR Terrell Owens spent the game in full uniform on the sideline; he ran some routes in pre-game warmups and looked completely healthy.

Reserve G/C Brandon Rodd left the game with a leg injury and did not return. The same can be said of RB Xavier Omon, who was scheduled to get a lot of carries, but only managed 4 carries for 17 yards before leaving the game with a calf contusion.

Other big plays: John McCargo recorded a sack and was generally disruptive the entire evening. Reggie Corner had an interception and a lengthy return in the first half. WR Justin Jenkins caught a long 43-yard reception from Hamdan in the fourth quarter as the Bills were playing catch-up. Steve Johnson also had a 33-yard reception on the evening.

Buffalo has the next two days off as the Bills finalize their 53-man roster, which they must do by 4:00 PM ET Saturday. They return to the practice field on Sunday for a full week of preparation for their Monday Night Football opener in New England.

The pre-season is over. The football gods, at least on this evening, are merciful. Leave your comments on the pre-season and this game in the comments section - then be sure to check back in tomorrow morning for the announcement of our roster projection contest!

Defining the Buffalo Bills' roster bubble players

Brian Galliford — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:00:24 -0000

For one last time, at least for another year or so, we're about to talk about the roster bubble. It's pretty difficult to define a roster bubble, particularly if you're nerdy enough - like yours truly - to project an NFL's 53-man roster obsessively until your thoughts are no longer relevant.

Heading into their pre-season finale, the Buffalo Bills (and more particularly, its coaching staff) very likely has their final 53 already selected. For fans, however, speculation rules the day this time of the year. This post is meant to do three things: define Buffalo's list of "bubble" players, force you to pay attention to those bubble players, and serve as one last spot for y'all to formulate your thoughts before tomorrow's "Buffalo Rumblings Roster Projection Contest" begins.

Staying with the team, but they don't count yet (2)
RB Marshawn Lynch (Reserve/Suspended) - Lynch probably won't play tonight, and he begins his three-game suspension on Saturday.
WR James Hardy (Physically Unable to Perform) - Right now, Hardy is on Active PUP, meaning that he counts against the active roster, and that he can be activated at any time. Active PUP ends when the pre-season ends. It's very likely the coaches will give Hardy an extra six weeks to get into football shape and all healed up by placing him on Reserve PUP.

With those two moves in mind, the Bills will have 72 active players. That list, obviously, needs to be whittled down to 53 - so 19 more must go.

Certain cuts (11)
Let's face it - if any of these eleven players make the roster, every single one of us will be floored.

QB Matt Baker, RB Bruce Hall, WR Felton Huggins, WR C.J. Hawthorne, TE Tyson DeVree, OT Nick Hennessey, C Christian Gaddis, DE Ataefiok Etukeren, DT Derrick Jones, DT Corey Mace, LB Ryan Manalac

That list puts us down to 61 players. We've now officially reached the bubble portion of our roster.

THE BUBBLE (15)
I've got 15 players listed as "on the bubble." All of these players have at least something going for them that could keep them on the roster through the weekend. By current math, eight of these players will make the final roster, while seven will try to latch on with other NFL teams.

RB Xavier Omon, FB Corey McIntyre, WR Justin Jenkins, TE Jonathan Stupar, OT Jonathan Scott, OG Brandon Rodd, DE Chris Ellis, DE Copeland Bryan, LB Marcus Buggs, LB Jon Corto, LB Alvin Bowen, LB Ashlee Palmer, CB Cary Harris, FS Ko Simpson, SS John Wendling

Picking eight of these names as keepers may seem easy, but it's made a bit more difficult by potential surprises. We've got four such scenarios below. For every scenario that comes to fruition below (and we're not saying any of them will), pick another name from the above list and toss it onto your final roster.

Surprise cuts/roster decisions (4)
TE Derek Fine - He's dealing with a hamstring issue, and to say the competition at tight end is heavy is an understatement. It wouldn't completely shock us to see him released, even after being a 2008 fourth-round draft pick.

OT Langston Walker - WGR 550 reporter Paul Hamilton is already on the record as saying Walker could be a surprise release. I'm not sure I buy that, particularly given Demetrius Bell's bad back, but Walker's apparent fall from grace seems legitimate. I can't fathom a scenario in which the Bills would be comfortable entering a season with three highly unproven tackles - but in the spirit of "it wouldn't shock me," we'll list Walker anyways.

DE Ryan Denney - The Bills, for the first time in what seems like forever, actually have some depth at the defensive end position. They've got three young ends - two listed on the bubble above - that have proven worthy of roster consideration. It's difficult to imagine the team cutting Denney, but it's not impossible. They could also dangle him in trade talks if they try, as some suspect they might, to swing a deal for veteran linebacker depth.

CB Ashton Youboty - Speaking of veterans that are candidates to be dangled in trade talks, meet Mr. Youboty. 25-year-old corners with some promise aren't exactly easy to come by, but the Bills have solid depth at corner without considering Youboty. (There's also a reason I listed Cary Harris as "on the bubble" above.) Buffalo obviously doesn't feel the need to actively try to trade Youboty, and he certainly won't be released. But if the right offer comes along - particularly if it involves that aforementioned veteran linebacker - the Bills might just pull the trigger.

***

That's it. That's about as ironclad as you can get on a pretty ambiguous topic. I'm off to Ralph Wilson Stadium to take in tonight's game; the open thread will air at 6:00 PM ET, and I'll have a recap up for y'all when I get back from the stadium. Enjoy yourselves this evening.

Seven Bills in need of strong pre-season finishes

Brian Galliford — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:00:24 -0000

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The Buffalo Bills will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday evening in their fourth pre-season game of the year. That contest will be the last time that the Bills' current 80-man roster plays together in a live setting; next week, NFL teams are required to begin trimming their rosters down to the 53-man limit. Rosters must be trimmed to 75 on Tuesday of next week, and all the way down to 53 next Saturday.

Needless to say, several players have a lot to prove over the next week or so - even those who aren't necessarily on the roster bubble. We've got seven such names for y'all to ponder.

DE Aaron Maybin. Yeah, we know - he's obviously not going anywhere. But Maybin will be making his pre-season debut on Saturday - yes, it's official, barring a practice injury over the next couple of days - and how he looks will factor into final roster decisions. If he looks like a first-round pick should - talented and ready to make an impact - the Bills might be willing to shed a veteran at his position. If Maybin looks ill-prepared to make an impact as a rookie, the mindset changes in finalizing the roster.

(On a side note, I shudder to think what this blog, other Bills discussion locales, and my e-mail inbox would look like if Maybin struggles on Saturday. Please don't suck, kid.)

DE Copeland Bryan. His fate is tied in part to Maybin's, as outlined above, but Bryan has done his fair share of proving to this point in the pre-season. In each of the past two games, he has recorded a sack and a forced fumble. If he keeps up his impressive play, he'll make Buffalo's decisions at defensive end much more difficult, regardless of how Maybin performs. Then again, despite his impressive play, Bryan is still decidedly sixth on the depth chart, even if he's taking practice reps ahead of 2008 third-round pick Chris Ellis.

CB Ashton Youboty. After sitting out the Hall of Fame Game with a groin injury, Youboty has turned in solid (if unspectacular) performances over the past two weeks. The performances have not been enough to quell speculation that Youboty might be on his way out of Buffalo, however. With nickel corner Drayton Florence still shelved with a knee sprain, Youboty's roster spot seems assured if Florence's health is still iffy in the days leading up to the final cut-down. That injury, however, does not guarantee him playing time.

TE Derek Fine. Let's face it - all the skepticism in the world in regards to the quality of second- and third-team opposition doesn't take away from the fact that TE Jonathan Stupar is the team's leading receiver this pre-season (15 receptions, 155 yards, TD). Fine, meanwhile, has been merely passable, flashing his occasionally excellent run blocking and his abilities as a short-area receiver. If Buffalo's coaches decide to take the best players, an argument could be made that Stupar edges out Fine.

Fine will likely miss the Steelers game with a hamstring injury - so the door is now wide open for Stupar, as the third tight end this weekend, to steal a roster spot. A lackluster pre-season finale could end Fine's Bills career before it really gets started. We're not saying it's likely. We're just saying it's possible.

LB Pat Thomas. The veteran linebacker returned to practice this week after missing two-plus weeks of games and practices with an ankle injury. Buffalo's depth at linebacker is highly unsettled, and nobody outside of rookie Nic Harris is a lock to make the roster. Thomas has an advantage because of his NFL experience, but his roster spot will need to be earned as the pre-season wraps up.

SS John Wendling. How many defensive backs can the Bills keep? 6 corners and 4 safeties? How about 5 corners and 5 safeties? 6 corners and 5 safeties seems like a stretch, but it might be the only way a guy like Wendling can crack the roster, despite his being in Bobby April's good graces as a core special teams player. A few big hits and/or plays defensively could help Wendling's case.

WR Justin Jenkins. No single player is in a more unique position on the team. Will the team find a trade partner and adequate compensation for Roscoe Parrish? How soon will James Hardy be able to take the field? Exactly how concerned should we be about Terrell Owens' toe injury? If any one of these players isn't available, Jenkins probably makes the roster. Then again, if all three of them can take the field, Jenkins is a goner. His fate is tied almost totally to what happens with other players, despite the fact that he's a dependable special teams player and a reliable pre-season receiver. If he makes some plays in the final two pre-season games, the Bills might pick up the pace with some players (Parrish) and decide to wait on others (Hardy) - Jenkins has some cards left in his hand to play.

Any other players you'd add to the list, Rumblers?

2009 Bills Training Camp is officially in the books

MattRichWarren — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:45:09 -0000

This morning was the final day of 2009 Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford. I was in attendance today - as I was for a dozen practices this year - as the moving vans arrived and the team headed back to Orchard Park for the remainder of the pre-season. Due to the copious amounts of rain yesterday, my phone was not operational for Twitter updates this morning, so I am going to change up and give you a timeline of the typical practice after the jump with my notes from today.

I arrived early thanks to a friend who attends SJF. She gave me her parking pass and I rolled into the parking lot instead of taking the blasted shuttles. That was pretty sweet.

9:30 - 9:40 Special Teams - Punt Team
Bobby April led the punt team through some work on blocking, then on getting off their blocks; meanwhile, the gunners worked at the other end of the field. As has been a continuous trend, Ryan Neill got all first team work with Garrison Sanborn squarely behind him. Working at gunner (in no particular order) were Justin Jenkins, Reggie Corner, Ashton Youboty, Felton Huggins, Jairus Byrd, Shaine Smith, Lydell Sargeant, John Wendling, and Ko Simpson. Easily the most vocal player during this work was Marcus Stroud, standing on the sideline.

9:40 - 9:49 Walk Through vs. Scout Teams
The first team offense was without Terrell Owens again today; Owens has been officially ruled out of Saturday's pre-season contest in Green Bay. Josh Reed took his reps on the outside. Bryan Scott continued to practice following his injury and alternated moving up in the box with Donte Whitner during the exercise.

9:49 - 9:55 Warm up and Stretch
Easily the most boring thing to watch in practice, it's also the best to see who is participating. QB Matt Baker was stretching, but didn't throw a pass all day, instead standing and watching in a ball cap. WR James Hardy joined Owens in the training room, and defensive tackles Corey Mace and Marcus Smith watched from the sidelines. TE Shawn Nelson was late arriving on the field, but eventually joined the team during team work. Everyone else was participating fully.

9:55 - 10:11 Position Work
At this point in the practice, the team broke up into their position groups: DL, LB, DB, OL, TE, WR, RB, QB and ST (kickers, punters and long snappers). Without pads on, the OL and DL were working on footwork and hand techniques on opposite ends of the field. The RB and QB groups started together working on hand-offs before the RB group went to work on footwork and cuts. LBs were working on gap assignments, and DBs were focusing on backpedaling and ball skills. TEs were focusing on blocking and when to move off onto the blitzing linebacker. The WRs were catching passes after breaking off routes, but the most interesting part was that a coach was smacking them with a pad when the ball was in the air. Essentially the guys had to keep their focus even though they were being hit as the ball arrived. Then the WRs and QBs got together and worked on pass routes before the TEs and RBs were mixed in as well.

10:11 - 10:19 7on 7, OL vs. DL
While the offensive and defensive linemen did some one on one work, the first team offense and defense worked in the passing shell. It was around this time that people were figuring out that T.O. was just not going to show up. Many were sad. It would have been nice for him to at least come out and wave or something. Skill players with the first team offense were Lee Evans, Derek Fine, Josh Reed (in for Owens) and Shawn Nelson in the slot. He moved in tight on a couple plays as well before Roscoe Parrish replaced him. Roscoe and Nelson's reps were split pretty evenly as the "third WR" option. Good to see the big guy getting some first team reps. As an aside, it's pretty clear that Derek Schouman and Derek Fine are 1A and 1B and will rotate with Nelson. We officially have a three-headed monster at TE.

Trent Edwards was hitting guys in stride today and not one throw hit the ground during position work or 7 on 7. He was working the ball down the field, hitting Evans and Reed for gains on 15-20 yards. Ryan Fitzpatrick also looked good, completing good passes before throwing a 30+ yard bomb to Justin Jenkins. It was a gorgeous arching pass right over the top of the defender. Even Gibran Hamdan got in on the act, threading the ball between two defenders for a 25-yard pickup to C.J. Hawthorne.

10:19 - 10:31 Special Teams - Kick Return
Bobby April had the front six on one side of the field and his back five on the other. The starters for the front line were George WIlson, Jon Corto, John Wendling, Marcus Buggs and Justin Jenkins (L to R facing the kicker), with Shawn Nelson about ten yards behind Wendling. They were working on picking up their guys based on what the kick team does. The wedge (April used the term) portion was Leodis McKelvin returning with Xavier Omon five yards in front of him, and Spencer Johnson five yards in front of Omon. The Dereks were about five yards further up splitting the field in thirds. When the ball was kicked deep, the Dereks stood about three yards apart and Johnson came between them about two yards back. They also worked on short kicks and getting communication down so they know who is going to catch it.

10:32 - 10:38 11 on 11
The first full-team work of the day again highlighted the offense as they continued to practice without pads. James Hardy made his way onto the field prior to the team work, walking out and talking with teammates. Bryan Scott had a simulated stop in the backfield on a Roscoe reverse, the second of those I witnessed today. Jairus Byrd had a nice pass breakup on a Gibran Hamdan throw working with the third team. Answering some questions, the second team center was Brandon Rodd and Seth McKinney, running second team guard, slid over to the pivot with the third team. Watching more position battles, Chris Ellis is clearly getting more reps than Copeland Bryan, who ran third team today. Ellis has been seeing second team reps while Aaron Maybin continues his holdout.

10:38 - 10:54 Walk Through vs. Coaches
A staple of the end of practice is a walk through against a team of coaches simulating a defense. It's not interesting to watch, but the fans were getting anxious and began chanting. At one point between plays, Eric Wood and Langston Walker raised their arms in the air exhorting the chants to continue and get louder. The first team offense was working against the coaches, but on the other side of the field, it was the second and third team defense getting the reps against the ghost team.

10:54 - 10:58 Stretching and Team Huddle

10:59 Position Meetings and Break
DB, OL, LB, and TE met with their position coaches briefly while the rest of the team made their way towards the locker room for the final time this year. After practice, Fitzpatrick signed autographs and Walker and Butler threw their gloves into the stands.

***

Best Development of the Day
Only one Trent Edwards pass hit the ground all day. It was a yard overthrown to Lee Evans on the sideline about 18 yards off the line of scrimmage.

Worst Development of the Day
The moving vans were moving stuff from the sidelines and locker room during the entire practice. I still have at least one camp story to tell and you should see that later this week, but for now, the only time we'll see the Bills is when they play the Packers this weekend.

Five bubble Bills making strong pre-season impressions

Brian Galliford — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:15:08 -0000

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It happens every year - NFL head coaches must cut roughly 25 players in a matter of a few weeks, paring their rosters down to 53 guys that they'll go to war with. Invariably, every year, there are a handful of players that coaches love to death - and who have performed when called upon - that might not fit onto the roster.

Buffalo Bills head coach Dick Jauron will make precisely those types of decisions over the next few weeks. Here are five players that are going to be tough to cut. Jauron (as well as every other NFL coach) still has over three full weeks to make this decision, as rosters don't have to be pared down to 53 until September 5.

WR Justin Jenkins. This is Jenkins' third season in Buffalo. He began the 2007 season on the practice squad, but was signed to the 53-man roster that October after injuries riddled the Bills' receiving corps. Since that point, he has stuck with the Bills (for the better part of two seasons) as a key cog in Bobby April's special teams coverage units. Now, however, Terrell Owens is here. Jenkins is decidedly seventh in the pecking order at his position. Still, he turns in plays at practice and performs on special teams. He helps the team on Sundays. He stands a strong chance of being the victim of the numbers game, but if he goes, it certainly won't be an easy goodbye from Buffalo's coaching staff.

TE Jonathan Stupar. Tight end is traditionally a weak position in Buffalo. Stupar, a second-year player out of Virginia, spent part of the 2008 season on the practice squad and finished the year on the active roster. This year, he's fourth in the pecking order behind two players he resembles greatly - Derek Schouman and Derek Fine - and rookie Shawn Nelson, who is clearly the most talented player of the group. Yet Stupar has had a surprisingly productive training camp; he also led the team in receiving yardage (4 receptions, 36 yards) in the Hall of Fame Game. Oh, yeah - he, too, can play special teams. Fourth tight ends are tough to keep around, but Stupar might be an exception.

DE Chris Ellis. If I'm speaking frankly, I, myself, have been underwhelmed by the admittedly little I have seen of Ellis this pre-season. There's got to be a good reason, however, that Ellis has been sneaking in first-team reps at right end (other than the possibility that guys like Aaron Schobel and Ryan Denney are getting fewer reps thanks to their status as grizzled veterans). A third-round pick in 2008, Ellis is far better suited physically for the rigors of the game than he was in his rookie season. But when Aaron Maybin signs his deal and reports to camp - and if you believe John Clayton, that could happen within the next 24-48 hours - Ellis might have a hard time cracking the top 53 as a fifth defensive end.

DT Derrick Jones. This is, without a doubt, the most surprising name on the list - but Jones certainly deserves mention. The 6'4", 315-pound defensive tackle spent part of 2008 training camp with Buffalo, but was released prior to the season. Jones has essentially bounced from practice squad to practice squad in his very short career. He did not start camp with the Bills this season; instead, the team signed him on August 6 as an extra body while several of their tackles recovered from injuries. Jones has seized the opportunity; he registered two tackles and a sack in the Hall of Fame Game, and has been a standout in the practice setting. He's done the best that any camp body can hope to do - raised eyebrows. Is there a chance he could make the team? We'll see, but he's certainly not cracking the top four in the tackle rotation any time soon.

LB Jon Corto. There's little question that Corto played out of position last year in Buffalo; as feisty as Corto is, you're going to be overwhelmed playing linebacker at 205 pounds. Corto has made some waves this pre-season, however; he showed up to camp with 15 extra pounds of muscle while preserving all of the speed and quickness that made him a borderline NFL safety prospect. He stuck on the Bills' roster when he probably shouldn't have in 2008 as a core member of April's special teams units. At linebacker, of the nine 'backers on the roster, Corto has easily taken the most third-team reps as he continues to learn the nuances of his position. But while there hasn't been a discernible difference between many of Buffalo's other young backup linebackers, Corto stands alone as the best special teams player of the group. That could provide him with an opportunity to slide up the depth chart when cut-down dates draw nearer.

Owens highlights growing Bills injury list

Brian Galliford — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:00:14 -0000

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The big news out of Buffalo this morning is, of course, the toe injury of Buffalo Bills WR Terrell Owens. After spraining his toe at an undisclosed point in the Bills' 21-18 loss to the Tennessee Titans in the Hall of Fame Game, Owens missed the Bills' Tuesday walk-through as well as their evening practice. Head Coach Dick Jauron described Owens as "day to day," and would not speculate on whether or not the star receiver will play in this Saturday's pre-season contest against the Chicago Bears.

Unfortunately for Buffalo, Owens isn't the only player injured. Fellow WR Steve Johnson, who returned to practice late last week after a rib injury sidelined him, re-injured the rib when he got tangled up with rookie CB Cary Harris in a drill on Tuesday. Harris landed on Johnson to re-aggravate the injury; from what Johnson told BuffaloBills.com last night, he will likely miss practices for the rest of this week as well as his second straight pre-season game.

Injuries seem to be a constant issue in Buffalo, and it's for that reason that the Bills have had to sign six street free agents over the past few weeks. C Christian Gaddis is the latest, joining WR Shaine Smith, DE Ataefiok Etukeren, DT Derrick Jones, DT Corey Mace and S Antwain Spann as players that have joined the Bills since training camp opened on July 25. However, one injured player did return to the field last night - and as he's a key figure on a revamped offensive line, Brad Butler's return is an important one.

Keeping track of the O-Line
Butler participated fully for the first time since injuring his back early last week, and looked good as he re-assumed his spot as the starting right tackle. It's still unclear if he'll play this Saturday - the coaches and trainers will likely wait to see how his back responds to a full practice load - but for now, the return is good news. Meanwhile, Butler's understudy, Demetrius Bell - who has impressed this pre-season - took reps with the second unit at left tackle.

With Butler back in the fold, Buffalo's entire offensive line is once again healthy. The more they play together this pre-season, the better.

Linebacker dinged, too
Arguably the most impressive Bills linebacker in the Hall of Fame Game was undrafted rookie free agent Ashlee Palmer. It would figure, therefore, that Palmer suffered a severe ankle sprain in the game and could be looking at missing a significant chunk of practice time. Alvin Bowen took his reps with the second unit on the weak side (as well as a few reps on the strong side with the third unit).

Meanwhile, BuffaloBills.com reports that Pat Thomas and Marcus Buggs continue to flip-flop with the second and third units at middle linebacker. Buggs started with the second unit against the Titans; it's therefore logical that Thomas is gearing up to get those reps against the Bears. This is one of the more unique battles going on at the moment; no matter the winner, both of these guys have excellent opportunities to make the final roster.

More lineup changes to note
Aaron Schobel continues to get a lighter work load, but rather than Ryan Denney taking his first-team reps last night - as usually happens - Chris Ellis took those reps, and took advantage of the opportunity by registering two would-be sacks on Trent Edwards, cleanly beating Langston Walker on both plays. That's what we like to hear. Now we just need to see it in a game.

RB Xavier Omon, who impressed against the Titans, was injured in practice and missed some reps. The injury is not considered serious, but Bruce Hall gladly took his reps.

With Owens and Johnson missing time, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish and Justin Jenkins shot up the depth chart. Jenkins has had a strong camp and pre-season, and other than an ugly pass interference call against Tennessee, has impressed. Ponder for a moment, however, the prospect of the Bills playing any meaningful games without Owens. Who wouldn't mind if T.O. sat out the rest of the pre-season? We're not advocating it. It's just a thought.

CB Ashton Youboty continues to sit with a lingering groin injury. Three cornerbacks with whom Youboty is jockeying for time - Drayton Florence, Reggie Corner and Ellis Lankster - continue to reap the benefits of his sitting out.

Wednesday
Buffalo has a practice scheduled for the early afternoon on Wednesday. It is doubtful that players such as Owens, Johnson and Palmer will practice. Butler should continue to work; it will also be interesting to see if Youboty returns to action.

Bills practice recap, 8/6: Rumblings goes camping

Brian Galliford — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:19:46 -0000

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Every year, I make at least one trip to St. John Fisher College in Pittsford to take in a Buffalo Bills training camp practice. No matter how long I do this, I'm always amazed at two things the first time I go each year: just how awesome the atmosphere is, and just how boring the practices are.

Rather than give you our normal breakdown, I'm instead going to use this post as an opportunity to get some things off of my chest. I've just got a few observations about some players to throw out there; as it was a short practice (the Bills are quite dinged up at the moment, particularly on defense), there wasn't much in the way of highlights.

QB Trent Edwards. Trent looked a little off to me tonight. He still seems a little hesitant to make the throws, and on more than one occasion the ball wasn't in a spot where the receiver could make the catch. He did have a perfect strike to Terrell Owens that Owens could only get one hand on; there was good coverage on the play. If there's a negative about Trent, it's that he's still trying to hit the perfect play (at least in practice). He'll thrive if he's assertive in picking up the sure yardage. The positives: he looks extremely comfortable running the no-huddle, and he looks quite calm in the pocket. His feet aren't as happy as they have been the past couple of seasons. He's making all the right reads. It was nice to see him working with Alex Van Pelt for an extra 20 minutes after practice as well. Trent just needs to play.

WR Justin Jenkins. Jenkins turned in the play of the night when he tipped a Gibran Hamdan throw over double coverage from Reggie Corner and George Wilson to himself for a long scoring play. He also hauled in a long throw from Hamdan over Terrence McGee earlier in the session. I realize that he's buried on the depth chart and working against bodies (as opposed to players), but the guy looks like a Pro Bowl receiver out there. He's a very smooth athlete with good hands. Buffalo's coaching staff is going to have a hard time cutting this guy.

TE Derek Schouman. This guy is lining up everywhere. On the line, in the slot, in the backfield - he's all over the place. What's more, he's the only tight end to get reps in all three places with the first unit. Derek Fine and Shawn Nelson get a lot of work in all three areas as well, but it's clear that Schouman is going to be the starting tight end, with Nelson getting specialized packages. Fine might have a hard time finding playing time, at least initially.

LT Langston Walker. Walker looked fantastic tonight. The guy is a monster pass blocker. He's agile, and he's so big that if he gets an arm on you, you're done rushing the passer now, thank you very much. The only area where he might struggle is with speed rushers; the Bills don't exactly have a lot of those at the moment. We'll see how that goes when the time comes; in the meantime, breathe easy. He looks good.

C Geoff Hangartner. I wasn't a fan of the snap he put over Edwards' head, but I liked the way Hangartner blocked tonight. He's not an overwhelming power guy, but boy, can he move. Expect to see him do a lot of pulling this year.

OG Eric Wood. If Marshawn Lynch is willing to part with his "Beast Mode" moniker for the duration of his suspension, I'll nominate Wood as the recipient for those three games. This guy is nasty.

DE Aaron Schobel. I didn't see as much of him as I'd have liked to, considering the shortage of defensive linemen and the short practice, but Schobel looked quick tonight. He's moving very well. The foot doesn't look like it's anywhere near a problem. We'll need him to be productive early in the season.

DE Chris Ellis. Copeland Bryan being sidelined is about the worst thing that could have happened to Ellis, because he's got no competition right now, and he's playing like it. He looks very comfortable and ordinary out there. Nothing about his game stands out much - he's tough, he's got some speed, but he's handled a lot as well. I was not impressed - but again, it was just one practice.

DT John McCargo. Easily Buffalo's most active defensive lineman tonight. Worked his butt off. Tipped a pass at the line, and was very tough to block in one-on-one drills. That's very promising news indeed; the Bills need all the run-stuffing they can get.

LB Pat Thomas. I'm going to try to get a closer look at Thomas tomorrow, but the little I saw of him tonight, I liked. He's a fine athlete. He came up with a blocked punt tonight, and continues to run with the second unit defense at middle linebacker. The fact that he's played in NFL games skyrockets his value to this team, and makes him a lock for the final roster. I just want to see more.

CB Ellis Lankster. This guy is fun to watch. He's got a little Antoine Winfield in him in that he's not a big guy, but he's nicely built and can really play. He looked great in coverage and also looked excellent in punt drills (he did not see any action in the return game). It's going to be tough to cut him. He's really impressive.

CB Cary Harris. I saw Harris attempt to jam Shaine Smith tonight and whiff by a country mile. I also saw an extremely raw athlete with loads of potential. A virtual lock for the practice squad.

P Brian Moorman. I just thought it was awesome that he lined up as a kick returner with the scout team return unit. He did not, however, touch the ball. I wanted him to, though.

It was a short practice and I've only got two eyes, so that's about all I've got information-wise for you. I'll be back at camp tomorrow, so if there are any players you'd like me to keep an eye on, mention them in a comment and I'll keep a list. There were some things that I liked tonight, and some I didn't. Pretty typical of a training camp practice. Looking forward to tomorrow.