PITTSFORD, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Bills continued training camp with their second practice at St. John Fisher University on Thursday. Here are four observations from the session.
Wide array of WR options
Offensive coordinator Joe Brady emphasized the “everybody eats” ethos of his scheme in the spring. Coach Sean McDermott used another culinary metaphor to describe the Bills sorting their options in replacing primary receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis with an eclectic collection of veteran additions and top draft pick Keon Coleman.
“It’s kind of like you open the door to your silverware drawer at home and you’re like, OK tell me what this does,” McDermott said before the first practice of camp. “We don’t really know what we have. But we know what we have. And it’s interesting to see they’re a very diverse group. I know a lot of people talk about we don’t have a true No. 1 and this and that. I think these guys will rise to the occasion.”
After a number of different receivers shined during red zone drills in the first practice, on Thursday two players the Bills added early in free agency rose to the occasion.
Mack Hollins, acquired in part because of his special teams ability, first drew attention by taping his toes before warming up barefoot, along with his flowing fringed t-shirt hanging below his camp jersey and matching his hairstyle. Hollins later used his 6-foot-4 frame to make a pair of deep catches from quarterbacks Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky.
Curtis Samuel, the new receiver most likely to replicate Diggs’ usage in Brady’s egalitarian offense, had a long-gainer on a play where Allen scrambled to his right and threw the ball back toward the other side of the field.
“Right now we’re kind of in the process of just trying to see what all of our guys can do,” Brady said. “I’m so excited about the group that we have, the tight ends and the receivers, because it’s so many different skill sets. And you hope that that versatility allows it to play a little harder on defenses to defend.”
Back end rotation
As the Bills move on from mainstays Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde at the safety position, Taylor Rapp appears to be in line for one of the starting spots in his second year with the team. On the first day of camp, Damar Hamlin, now entering his fourth season, practiced with the first team following a strong effort in the spring.
Free agent acquisition Mike Edwards, who sat out minicamp and much of the OTA work due to injury, got his chance alongside Rapp on Thursday.
“The intention was to have Mike out there with the first group through the spring, the duration of it,” McDermott said. “But he missed really most of the spring if not all of it. So, again, that’ll be a chance for us this morning to look at Mike and see how he’s doing.”
Hamlin, who at this time a year ago was still progressing toward his first contact practice since going into cardiac arrest on the field in Cincinnati, continued to impress when he was able to get in the backfield for what would have been a sack during one of his few reps with the starting defense. Second-round pick Cole Bishop also got a brief look with the starting unit.
Injury-free
Knock on wood.
The Bills opened camp without any players on the physically unable to perform list. So far there have been no injuries of note in practice.
Linebacker Matt Milano was a full participant on consecutive days in his return from a broken leg that kept him out of OTA sessions. While wearing a sleeve on his right leg, Milano appears to be moving like his All-Pro self. Not requiring a rest day after his first full practice since the injury is another encouraging sign.
Allen provided a brief scare when he went to the sideline for trainers to look at his lower leg area. But the star quarterback quickly returned to the field and soon after sprinted to the end zone after tailback James Cook broke off a big a long run. Defensive back Cam Lewis also returned to practice after getting some attention from the trainers.
Fumbles
The Bills put the ball on the grass a few too many times for a day with no rain. Rookie running back Ray Davis dropped a pitch early on. Dawson Knox dropped a routine pass. Keon Coleman had the ball punched out after making a grab in the slot, though it was unclear whether it was an incomplete pass or a fumble. Josh Allen and new center Connor McGovern botched an exchange in the same series.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.