Today’s practice was short on injury news (both old and new), as we await word on Reggie Ragland’s second opinion. No major new injuries occurred, although a few players (Jimmay Mundine, Fernando Velasco, Cyril Richardson) were tended to and returned to practice. Some great comments from the coaches, along with some solid performances, have the team feeling good going into its first preseason tilt with the Colts.
- Incognito and Glenn out: While it was known that Cordy Glenn would miss time, we were less sure about Richie Incognito. He sat out of practice today, and while Rex Ryan invented a word to describe Incognito’s status, it seems as if that won’t be a long-term injury. Cyrus Kouandjio and Ryan Groy continued to fill in on the left side of the line. Also missing practice were Ragland, Jim Dray (ankle), Corey White (knee), Jerel Worthy (unspecified; should return Thursday), and Casey Walker (unspecified).
- Sammy’s planned off day: After coming out and doing some individual drills, Sammy Watkins ran some extra conditioning sprints during the 1-on-1 portion of practice, then exited to remove his pads. Rex said this was not a setback, but a planned day off in easing Watkins back to full strength. There is no truth to the rumor that LeSean McCoy was the reason for Sammy missing the rest of practice. Watkins was unsure about whether he’d play in the first preseason game or not, but mentioned that being ready for regular season week one is the obvious goal.
- Tyrod strong again: Tyrod Taylor’s strong camp continued, even though there were some hiccups along the way. He threw 2 interceptions in red zone work, but counterbalanced with 4 touchdowns in the air (Greg Salas, Chris Gragg, Marquise Goodwin, and Leonard Hankerson) and 1 on the ground (without flipping over defenders, mercifully), it’s safe to say his day was strong overall. The “TD” to Salas was controversial, but it serves as yet another example of Taylor’s solid play.
- Goodwin continues to impress: Marquise Goodwin is drawing praise from multiple outlets and coaches alike. Rex Ryan called him “dependable” and “healthy,” two words that have rarely described the fourth year player, but compliments that should come as music to Bills fans’ ears. Greg Roman noted that Goodwin appears to be a “man on a mission.” So far, it would be shocking if a healthy Goodwin doesn’t open the year as the Bills’ third receiver, as he’s had a fantastic day in and day out at camp.
- Lineup looks for the day: IK Enemkpali and Zach Brown once again ran with the ones on D, with Corbin Bryant playing over Adolphus Washington. When the first team went three wides, Robert Woods played in the slot, with Goodwin joining Watkins outside. The team’s first unofficial depth chart was released today, giving us a decent look at what the rotations will be on Saturday.
- More from the coaches: Chris Brown wrote a great bit in his recap about Rex Ryan intentionally stressing out his defense by putting them in poor situations. Brown even makes mention of the poor communication from last year, and Ryan notes that he wants his players to understand the checks when they’re in a rough spot, forcing them to focus on “getting to the next play.” Greg Roman spoke at length about Goodwin, and he even noted his desire to involve LeSean McCoy more in the passing game. He also talked about Charles Clay becoming a bigger factor, stating they they “missed opportunities” with him last season. He noted that this year is less about installing and more about refining, which is a huge leap forward for the group.