Archives for August 1, 2015

'Cassel was off the mark throughout the day, missing Sammy Watkins deep on a few occasions and settling for check-downs often. Tyrod Taylor also got to mix in with the first-team offense, but he looked a bit uncomfortable in the pocket. Taylor took a few sacks and was looking to scramble often, even during seven-on-seven drills in which the defensive line was not participating.'

'"No, I'm lying, he did (talk to me)," McCoy said. "He was pissed off I didn't invite him. He gave me a whole speech for about two hours — 'You've got to be about the team. If one guy has women, we all need women.' No, I'm joking, he didn't say that. We didn't really talk about it. On a serious note, it's a thing I do every year with teammates. I didn't do it this year. It got too wild. I should never have posted it. I take blame for that."'

'Kouandjio, a second-round pick in 2014, didn't see the field as a rookie. He had a rough training camp and preseason a year ago while Henderson, a 2014 seventh-round pick, made a quicker transition. Has time allowed Kouandjio to catch up? We'll see when the pads come on during practice Sunday.'

'“That’s the one thing I’ve truly believed since I’ve been in this business. Players will see through anything that you put out there that’s not right. They know. They’re smarter than a lot of people give them credit for. And they’re going to know who the guy should be behind centre.”'

'“But for the record, it was no weird orgy thing going on … I cancelled it. It got too wild. I felt like everybody took it out of context so I just, I just cancelled it … I should have never posted it.”'

'But this season, it’s different. Optimism is at an all-time high and with new coach Rex Ryan, new running back LeSean McCoy and a defense that’s among the NFL’s best, expectations are immense. The Bills haven’t been to the playoffs in 15 years, currently the longest drought in the NFL.'

'“Oh man, this is the best thing in the world,” fullback Boobie Dixon said after practice ended. “This is what I love to do … The fans out here cheering, it’s a motivator. It feeds the soul.”'

'As predictable as December snowfall in Buffalo, Bills fans and media are eating out of Ryan’s hand. He could be serving cat food and the masses would be devouring it as if it were their last meal.'

'The families felt that continued prosecution would result in “substantial disruption of the lives of the minor children and their respective families,” according to a letter from the State Attorney’s Office to the Kromers’ attorney.'

'"I always try to get the fans involved," said McCoy, who was acquired in a trade that sent linebacker Kiko Alonso to the Philadelphia Eagles. "No player is there actually looking forward to camp. So the fans come out here and cheer us up and get us going. I try to do the same."'

'Though the Bills announced Meyer was hired as a football operations consult on Friday, Ryan said the hiring actually took place in June. That was before Kromer was arrested and charged with battery following an alleged altercation on July 12.'

'The Buffalo Bills say defensive end Mario Williams has passed his physical and was activated in time for the team's opening practice at training camp.'

'Ryan made it clear throughout the offseason that when the Bills came to training camp, the quarterback job would be wide open — and may the best man win. To that end, he has adopted offensive coordinator Greg Roman's two-spot system where team drills are going on simultaneously at both ends of the practice field in order to give not only the quarterbacks, but everyone else, more reps. However, it is specifically helpful to the quarterbacks who need all the time they can get.'

'Assistant state attorney Bobby Elmore told ESPN that the accusers' parents asked for the charge to be dismissed after they reached an "amicable resolution" with Kromer's attorneys.'

'Williams was cleared for the team's first practice of training camp on Friday morning at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, N.Y.'