Inside The Bills

Game time here for LB Steward

His rookie season got off to a rough start with a sprained MCL in the preseason. Now healthy again Tony Steward will be stepping in for an injured Nigel Bradham Sunday. So how ready is the Bills sixth-round pick?

As defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman sees it he has to be ready.

“He doesn’t have a choice,” said Thurman flatly. “He’s going to get his opportunity. And that’s what you look for as a player, you look for a chance to go out and see where you are. It’s a little tougher on rookies than most. But you never know.  We’ll put him out there and we’ll see what happens.”

Bradham not looking good for Texans game

He left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury and did not return. LB Nigel Bradham was missed in the loss to Kansas City as the Chiefs ran for 158 yards in the game. Head coach Rex Ryan is not optimistic that Bradham will be able to play on Sunday against Houston.

“That’s an ankle injury that to be honest it doesn’t look great for this week for him to play,” said Ryan. “That’s a big loss obviously.”

Ryan said it is not a high ankle sprain so it shouldn’t be a lengthy rehab process.

“It doesn’t seem to be (a high ankle sprain),” Ryan said. “There are different degrees of high ankle injuries just like any other one. But obviously it’s a significant injury, but it’s not where it’s going to be a five week injury.”

Rookie LB A.J. Tarpley filled in for Bradham Sunday, but Ryan said that this week it would be rookie LB Tony Steward who would step in if Bradham can’t go.

Almost all Bills RBs & WRs practicing

It’s a Tuesday practice and it won’t be anything like the more physical practice that teams usually run on Thursdays, but almost all of the injured running backs and wide receivers on Buffalo’s roster were participating.

LeSean McCoy, Karlos Williams, Boobie Dixon were all working through on the running back rotation during individual position drills. Bryce Brown had already returned in the team’s final preseason game.

At wide receiver, Sammy Watkins, Chris Hogan, Percy Harvin and Robert Woods were all practicing.

Marquise Goodwin was the only injured receiver not participating.

On defense LBs Manny Lawson and Tony Steward were not practicing.