Inside The Bills

Gailey identifies some camp surprises

Bills head coach Chan Gailey was asked about a few players that were positive surprises in the camp setting.

Gailey is not a big fan of singling out players, but accommodated the media member that asked about some guys that flashed in the receiving corps.

“David Nelson was a pleasant surprise,” said Gailey. “Even Naaman Roosevelt went out and did some things that were good for all of camp. We’ve got some good players to work with. We’ve got to develop them.”

Levi’s unique practice prep

Bills rookie QB Levi Brown has a unique way of getting himself motivated for practice here at training camp.

In a recent twitter post, Brown outlines his original way of energizing himself prior to hitting the field.

LeviBrown10    watchin Tom & Jerry to get ready for practice. no better way….except maybe watchin Scooby Doo.

I think Tom & Jerry is probably best to prepare football players for the violent play that can sometimes occur on the field at least in a game setting. Scooby Doo to me is less applicable, but that’s just me.

Morning practice update

With the entire morning practice taking place in the gym due to steady rain here at St. John Fisher, the speed of practice was at about half speed.

The Bills worked on a lot of run game work, some special teams and red zone. They plan to practice in full pads tonight for the night practice.

Absent from practice this morning were Jairus Byrd, Reggie Torbor, Derek Schouman and Marcus Easley.

Fred Jackson, Marshawn Lynch, Kawika Mitchell, Eric Wood, Demetrius Bell, James Hardy, Shawn Nelson, Kyle Williams and Marcus Stroud were among the notable non-participants.

Bills host Youth Football forum

The Buffalo Bills hosted a USA Youth Football Leadership Forum at training camp this past week at St. John Fisher.

As NFL teams move further into preseason and youth leagues get ready to start their schedules, youth football leaders were invited by USA Football and the Bills to watch an evening workout and discuss issues that affect all of them during Buffalo’s training camp at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y.

Night practice notes

Night practice notes from Monday’s session can be found here about two-thirds of the way down.

Night practice tix available

There are still plenty of tickets available for this evening’s Bills night practice at St. John Fisher.

Tickets can be picked up at no cost at the Verizon Wireless store in the Eastview Mall in Victor, NY. The full team autograph session, which was rained out earlier in camp is set for this evening prior to the practice and the Seneca Park Zoo will also be on hand with some of their animals.

Just a walk thru this AM

The Bills had their first walk-thru practice of camp this morning at St. John Fisher. Head coach Chan Gailey is gearing down on the level of contact in practice as the first preseason game fast approaches.

This is the typical approach for NFL coaches, so as to let the players’ bodies be as fresh as possible for the longer sustained contact of a game.

Only LB Ryan Manalac was absent this morning.

Autograph session canceled

The Bills full team autograph session at the night practice this evening has been canceled for the concern and safety of the fans due to inclement weather.

Practice at this point is tentative due to some strong storms moving through the Pittsford area.

Stay tuned for further updates.

Nite practice pushed back

For those Bills fans coming out to practice tonight (Mon.) the session has been pushed back.

Instead of starting at 7 it will begin at 7:15 pm. In fact every practice open to the public this week will be pushed back 15 minutes.

So Tuesday’s afternoon practice will now start at 3:15 pm and the Wed. night practice will be at 7:15 pm as well.

Spiller little nervous about tonight

C.J. Spiller spoke to the media prior to tonight’s practice. And though he’s admittedly has a few butterflies about his first training camp practice, he said after he gets this first one under his belt, things will steadily smooth out for him.

“It’s going to take a couple of days,” Spiller said. “I’m not going to come out here the first day and become a hero. I’ve still got to come out and do what I’ve been doing and that’s just playing football. I’m excited, a little nervous to see how the first day will go. And after that it’ll get easier.”

Jackson works a bit as 4th WR

Chad Jackson, who has made a few more plays in recent days, was sprinkled in with the first team offense during some spread formations.

Jackson was the fourth receiver on the field Wednesday night during for a few snaps along with Lee Evans, Steve Johnson and Roscoe Parrish.

Most of those reps had been going to rookie David Nelson and on occasion Felton Huggins. We’ll see what develops moving forward.

Bills day on Sirius

A number of Bills players along with Chan Gailey and Buddy Nix are scheduled to appear on Sirius NFL Radio this afternoon.

Tim Ryan and Pat Kirwan, who host the Moving the Chains program from 3-7 pm are at Bills camp today.

Steelers trashing Bills

ESPN reporter Adam Schefter, who is arriving at Bills camp today (Wed.) was traveling from Steelers camp where a certain Pittsburgh player made an insulting comment about the Bills.

Schefter relayed the exchange between himself and the unnamed Steelers player on his twitter account.

Adam_Schefter True story: One Steeler asked me where the Bus stopped next. Bills camp, I told him. His response: “They still play football there?”

The unnamed Steelers player can find out for himself if they still play football in Buffalo on Nov. 28 when they come to Ralph Wilson Stadium. Keep adding fuel to the fire Pittsburgh.

Saturday scrimmage?

Typically most veteran coaches like to use the second Saturday of training camp as a day to hold a scrimmage of sorts with their roster. Bills head coach Chan Gailey didn’t promise a full scrimmage on Saturday, but hinted there could be something close to that.

“That might be a thing (we do),” Gailey said. “I don’t know if it’ll be a full fledged scrimmage, but we’ll get some good live contact in there. Whether the whole thing is that way or not I don’t think so.”

Gailey is already down a good handful of players particularly at linebacker so to play full live football for an entire practice might risk too much. Either way it’s safe to say there’s likely to be some hitting on Saturday afternoon.

Night practice notes up

In case anyone is looking our night practice notes have been added to the bottom of the Practice Notes – Day 2 write up from today.

Hardy ready to perform

He’s been through a lot in terms of injury setbacks the last year or so, but James Hardy is healthy and off to a good start at training camp.

“We have an offensive-minded coach,” said Hardy. “We’ve never had that since I’ve been here. He likes to get the ball down the field. He likes big receivers, so everything is a plus on my end. But at the same time, injuries [have] not let me show my full abilities to him. That’s what I’m doing here in training camp, so he can get a feel of who James Hardy really is because last year no one really [saw] it.”

Hardy had a 35-yard touchdown catch on day one and is showing sharper route running through the first couple of practices. That’s thanks in large part to the extra route running training he did with former NFL WR Torrance Small down in New Orleans this offseason.

“He played for 10 years in the league,” Hardy told Buffalobills.com. “He’s helped me with getting my hips low since he’s a taller receiver. All the things I had to learn before I tore my ACL I had to re-teach myself everything. It just has to be on a consistent basis, dropping the hips and just having quick feet. It’s something like you said the last two years I wasn’t able to work on this during the offseason. So it’s just getting myself prepared to do it on a consistent basis.”

Coach Gailey admitted Thursday that Hardy is right in the mix for the number two receiver role, and Hardy intends to make a run at it even though Steve Johnson currently holds it.

“That’s a good thing for all of us and may the best man win,” Hardy said of the #2 WR competition. “Whoever is starting in game one, not preseason, that’s the best man, so I’m working my hardest to make sure that’s me.”

New non-participant

Along with Paul Posluszny, Keith Ellison and Chris Kelsay there is another vet not practicing this morning.

Marcus Stroud is not practicing at the morning workout. We’ll find out after practice if it is just a measure to pace the vet coming off of some injuries last season, much like they did in the spring practices, or if its a new malady.

Knee braces mandatory for O-line

One small particular that stood out at training camp Thursday was the presence of knee braces on both the legs of every offensive lineman on the roster.

Talking to Demetrius Bell following his first practice back from a long knee rehab, Bell said they don’t have a choice.

“It’s mandatory,” he said. “We’ve got to wear them at practice on both legs.”

Bell did say he understood the reasoning behind it and coming off of knee surgery he doesn’t mind the extra protection. Knowing camp is likely to be more physical in the past, the knee braces are worth mandating to keep players healthy and on the field.

Bills down LBs early

Bills OLB Chris Kelsay left practice early with a shoulder injury and head coach Chan Gailey confirmed the injury will keep him sidelined for a period of time leaving Buffalo shorthanded in the early going.

“He banged up his shoulder a little bit and it looks like he’ll be out a little while,” said Gailey. “I don’t know how long.”

Buffalo is down linebackers in the early going. They have a total of 14 on the roster, but with Aaron Schobel not reporting, Paul Posluszny and Keith Ellison sidelined, Nic Harris on PUP and now Chris Kelsay sidelined by injury they’re down to nine with four healthy inside linebackers and five healthy outside linebackers after one day of camp.

Full pads

Bills are starting camp practice full bore.

Players are trotting out on the field in full pads. Looks like the tone is going to be set early.