Hardy, others miss practice time (Photo Source)

The Buffalo Bills completed their first full seven-day week of training camp last night with an evening practice at St. John Fisher College, and Buffalo's injury list continues to lengthen early in camp.

The injuries are not yet considered serious, but there are several players missing practice time.  Rookie wide receiver James Hardy, who pulled a hamstring during warm-ups, joined fellow rookie wideout Steve Johnson as sideline spectators.  LB Angelo Crowell missed his third straight night of practice, and S Ko Simpson was absent as well as he had his surgically repaired ankle tested (the MRIs were reportedly negative).  Fellow starting safety Donte Whitner left practice early after getting sick on the field.

Despite the injuries (and the continued absence of a certain Pro Bowl left tackle), the Bills' offense put together one of its better practice sessions of camp last night, particularly in the red zone.  Defensive ends Aaron Schobel and Shaun Nua were also absent.

Evans, Royal, Jackson Making Plays as Receivers
I'm hoping that headline isn't surprising to any of you in regards to Evans.  It's great news to hear just how effective Evans was last night in the red area without the team's tall, shiny new receiver to take attention away from him.  Evans burned both of Buffalo's starting corners, Terrence McGee and Jabari Greer, for scores last night.

The quarterback and receiver hooked up for a pair of touchdowns. Early in practice Edwards zipped a tight pass to Evans outside shoulder as he got just enough separation from Jabari Greer for a touchdown in the front corner of the end zone on the far sideline.  Evans later got by Terrence McGee for another touchdown reception on the near sideline.

Fred Jackson was also a frequent target of Trent Edwards during this session, both down the field and out in the flats.  What's encouraging to hear is that Robert Royal seems to be stepping up his play as he fights for his starting job with the unheralded Derek Schouman:

Robert Royal is factoring a bit more into the offense the last couple of practices. He caught a touchdown pass down the middle on a well-timed pass from J.P. Losman. He also pulled in a well-placed throw down the seam from Edwards.

Defense Making Plays in the Backfield
After two years of attempting to install a penetrating, Cover 2 defense with a disruptive defensive line, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell seems to have finally reached his goal.  Buffalo's active front seven has made plays in the backfield early and often in camp, and continued the trend last night:

Kawika Mitchell came screaming into the backfield on one stretch play to the near sideline and would've had Lynch on a tackle for loss in live football conditions...

Among the other highlights during full team work was a blitz by Donte Whitner as he got to Edwards before he delivered a quick timing pass on a three step drop for a would-be sack...

Third-round pick Chris Ellis also had a would-be sack on Losman as he knifed inside and got into the offensive backfield quickly.

Ellis is still, in my opinion, the key to Buffalo having not just a very good defense this season, but a dominant one.  If he can provide that spark as a situational pass rusher that the team hasn't had in years, Buffalo might just have one of the better defensive lines in football.  It's good to hear that he's finally starting to make some plays in camp; we'll be watching his progress during pre-season games with great interest.

The Enigma that is Demetrius Bell
As the Bills continue to experiment with their depth at offensive tackle, one benefactor has been rookie seventh-round pick Demetrius Bell.  One of the most athletic players on the team - yet also one of the most underdeveloped as a player - Bell has been taking strides as of late and was rewarded with some reps as the second-team left tackle last night.

Seventh-round pick Demetrius Bell has come along of late and was moved up to the second unit to get some left tackle snaps Thursday night. Matt Murphy flipped over to right tackle with the second group.

Murphy has impressed, too, with his footwork after making the transition to tackle from tight end.  Depending on what happens with Jason Peters' holdout situation, it's not completely out of the question to believe that either Bell or Murphy (or both) could sneak ahead of Kirk Chambers on the depth chart.  Again, that would probably only happen if Peters returns in time for the final cut-downs.

The Bills have one practice today (Friday), which runs from 2:15-4:20 PM.

Chambers leading the pack to back up Peters (Photo Source)

Note: As Buffalo Rumblings counts down the days until the start of the Buffalo Bills' 2008 training camp (current count: 8), we'll be breaking down some of the bigger battles we're sure to witness during summer practices as part of a comprehensive package of pre-camp topics we'll explain in more depth in the near future.  For now, we'll continue our Battles series by looking at the battle for the team's third tackle position.  Previous installments: Backup TE

With Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters unhappy with his contract situation, the training camp battle for the right to be Peters' primary backup suddenly holds much more importance for the Bills.  If Peters decides to hold out of even part of training camp - and nothing is out of the question at this point - and things get ugly, the winner of this competition becomes one of the most important players on Buffalo's entire offensive unit.

Meet the candidates...

The Favorite: Kirk Chambers (73)
The primary backup at both tackle positions last season, Chambers did not see a ton of action until the final two weeks of the season, when Peters went down with a season-ending groin injury.  He's an unspectacular athlete with marginal instincts for the game, but there are worse options as a backup tackle - he's smart, tough, and while he needs a little help, he generally avoids making big mistakes.  He's certainly the favorite, but if one of the other contenders surprises, he's certainly expendable as well.

The Upstart: Matt Murphy (70)
Like Peters, Murphy is a former tight end that has converted to offensive tackle, and he's got above-average athleticism for the position.  That's where the comparisons end.  Murphy is underweight and is making the full position switch for the first time; he's raw and needs some technique work, but he also has a bit of upside.  He's got a lot to prove, but if he starts stealing reps and moving up the depth chart during camp, Chambers better keep his head on a swivel.

The Darkhorse: Patrick Estes (79)
Signed late in the 2007 season as a reserve once Peters went down, Estes has kicked around the league early in his career.  He's a bit of an unknown commodity, but Buffalo's coaches reportedly like his smarts and his build.  He, too, has some work to do, but don't immediately count this guy out of the competition.

The Longshot: Demetrius Bell (77)
Keep in mind that Bell, the first of Buffalo's three seventh-round picks this past April, is only a long shot for the time being.  Blessed with rare athleticism for an offensive lineman, Bell is about as green as an NFL prospect comes, but he's got loads of upside and a solid athletic pedigree.  He's very likely to end up on the practice squad, but don't be shocked to see him make quick advances under the tutelage of line coach Sean Kugler.

Predicting the Winner
It may be boring, and it may leave you a bit queasy, but for now, Chambers seems like the clear favorite to win this competition.  The fact that the Bills have three upside guys behind Chambers, however, obviously indicates that the team is looking for an upgrade if one is available.  Given the team's interior depth - both Jason Whittle and Christian Gaddis have an excellent shot at making the roster - only one of these guys will make the roster, in all likelihood.  If Murphy or Estes surprises, that's great.  If not, the team will grit its teeth and go to work with Chambers for another season.

Ultimately, my opinion is as good as all of yours'; let's hear it, folks.  Who should/will be Buffalo's backup left tackle heading into the 2008 season?

Next Battle: Starting Cornerback

Peters anchors a still-improving line (Photo Source)

Prior to the 2008 NFL Draft - in fact, prior to the free agent signing period of this past March - we took a look at the Buffalo Bills' roster position by position, breaking down then-current personnel, finding holes, and building our community needs list.

Now that free agency and the Draft have been completed, and the Bills have infused their roster with new talent, it's time to repeat our process.  Where has Buffalo gotten better?  Where have they gotten worse?  How will additions impact which Bills veterans remain on the roster?  These are questions that we'll attempt to answer over the next week or so.

We continue those discussions today with an examination of Buffalo's offensive tackle corps.  To view our previous discussions on Buffalo's OT situation (pre-off-season), bang it here.

Jason Peters: Attention, Marshall Faulk - that left tackle you said the Bills needed desperately?  A certain Mr. Peters that was elected to some all-star game in Honolulu last season might take offense to that, my friend.  The 26-year-old has transformed himself from an undrafted free agent into a franchise left tackle, and while there's always room to improve, he can now be considered among the league's elite at his position.  He has a long, bright future in Buffalo ahead of him.

Langston Walker: Buffalo's largest offensive lineman can be a bit of a liability in pass protection, but is considered a solid player that can overwhelm defenders at times in the run game.  No, he's not a perfect tackle, but the skills he does possess complement those of Peters' well and he gives the Bills two above-average tackles.

Kirk Chambers: Chambers did not see much playing time last season (he started the season finale in Philadelphia in place of the injured Peters), but his performance was steady in what little time he did see.  For now, he's a solid reserve that can block on special teams, but the team might be in trouble if he has to play much more than he did in 2007.

Patrick Estes: Signed near the end of the '07 season, Estes is a solid developmental prospect.  However, the Bills have two more project players at the position, which could make it difficult for Estes to land a roster spot in '08.

Matt Murphy: For two seasons, Murphy stuck around Buffalo as a tight end; his forte was always as a blocker.  Now, Murphy has been re-signed by the club and told to pack on the pounds, because he's moving to offensive tackle.  Murphy will make a fine athletic tackle, and given some time, he could surprise as a fourth tackle to make the roster.  If he transitions well enough, he may even give Chambers a run for his money as the team's top reserve at the position - and he can play receiver-eligible in goal line situations and would make a fine special teams blocker as well.  This is a project worth keeping an eye on.

The Additions: Demetrius Bell
The estranged son of former NBA star Karl Malone is a seventh-round draft pick whose early role will likely be as a practice squad player.  Bell has a world of potential, but hails from Northwestern State and has played just three seasons of football.  He's an outstanding athlete with basketball experience, but he's extremely raw when it comes to football technique.  He's another player that if coached properly and with some work could develop into a fine player for the Bills.

The Subtractions: None

Pre-Season Outlook: I love Buffalo's depth at this position, and the addition of Bell late in the draft gives the Bills a nice developmental prospect with the potential to eventually contribute on this team.  Peters and Walker are a solid starting duo (not perfect), Chambers is a solid backup, and Murphy could be a surprise as well.  There's intriguing depth here.  This position only remains a team strength, however, if the two starters can continue to stay healthy.

Change: Negligible.

As always, your thoughts on Buffalo's offensive tackles are welcome and encouraged in the comments section.  For those of you clamoring to discuss the rest of the Bills' offensive line - namely, the guards and centers - hang tight; we'll be discussing them later on this afternoon.  Stay tuned!

Note: For much more in-depth analysis of Buffalo's offensive line dealing with individual performance in 2007, be sure to check out Ron From NM's excellent FanPosts here and here.