Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘“I wasn’t surprised,” said Panthers wide receiver Chris Hogan, who played four years in Buffalo before joining the Patriots and is now with the Panthers. “Just playing across the league in my time with Buffalo, it didn’t matter where we played, they’d always be there loud and proud. It’s great to bring some people here to Spartanburg.”’

‘As for the group battling for the fifth and sixth receiver spots, it’s going to be an important two days for Ray-Ray McCloud, Isaiah McKenzie, Robert Foster, and Cam Phillips who need to show up in these workouts.’

‘“I was with him, but it’s been a few years since the last time we worked together,” McDermott said. “But what I remember is the competitiveness, the toughness. Obviously, he’s played in this system before so he has some familiarity with our system, both in the slot and at corner. We’ll see how he does and how he progresses. He’s been out of it a little bit, so he has to play himself back into shape. We just want to get him acclimated to what we do and his new surroundings and teammates and take it one day at a time.”’

‘“Some organizations, some head coaches, you just don’t know and you don’t like the situation, but I knew what I was going to get here with him and I was excited when him and I were talking, Brandon Beane and I were talking, I knew this was going to be a great opportunity for me and my family,” said Coleman, who played for McDermott as a rookie in 2010 in Philadelphia, and then again in 2015 and 2016 in Carolina.’

‘“The quarterback gets the call, and then he says the play and I’m trying to think about where I’m lining up, who do I have to protect the quarterback from, and what’s my route,” said following the Buffalo Bills’ 24-16 preseason-opening victory over Indianapolis. “You think of all that stuff in a split second, and then break the huddle and line up and try to ID the linebacker, ID the safety, try to look at the front, and they snap the ball and you’re out.”’

‘All in all, Allen looked much like he did last season: There were a couple lasers, and then a couple he completely misfired on.’

‘“The quarterback gets the call, and then he says the play and I’m trying to think about where I’m lining up, who do I have to protect the quarterback from, and what’s my route,” said following the Bills’ 24-16 preseason-opening victory over Indianapolis. “You think of all that stuff in a split second, and then break the huddle and line up and try to ID the linebacker, ID the safety, try to look at the front, and they snap the ball and you’re out.”’

‘For a guy who many figured would be headed to the practice squad by summer’s end, Sweeney may be starting Thursday night when the Bills open the preseason at New Era Field against the Indianapolis Colts.’

‘On offense, configuring the unit with one running back and three receivers, the only positions that appear to be undecided are tight end, right guard and right tackle. That is assuming Mitch Morse can get healthy and line up at center.’

‘The Bills training camp lease with St. John Fisher runs two more years.’

‘“No different, guys in the backfield to help me out, we’re all competing and making each other better each day,’’ McCoy said. “I’m (the) guy, I feel like that, it’s what I’ve been told. That’s my everyday approach, we’re all a team, competing and trying to win.’’’

‘His journey has taken him from New York to Seattle to Dallas to Washington to Tampa Bay to Detroit and now back home to western New York as he signed a free agent contract with Buffalo on Tuesday morning.’

‘Allen needs to continue working on his accuracy and the Bills can only hope that it will improve as he starts getting together with the main targets. As far as confidence, his knowledge of the offense, and his leadership in the huddle, all of that looked top-notch. I still have faith that he’s going to grow this season.’

‘Coach Sean McDermott said Sunday that Morse remains in the concussion protocol, a situation that grows more worrisome by the day because the Bills simply do not have an adequate option at center if Morse can’t play. Long has missed the last few practices with a sore knee, and Feliciano hurt his shoulder Friday night.’

‘“It’s early in camp and that tends to be the case,” coach Sean McDermott said of the offense looking out of sync, especially when you consider it is facing a talented Buffalo defense that is almost unchanged in terms of personnel from a year ago. “I thought there were small victories within the practice on the offensive side, and I saw some mental toughness. We just have to do our job and get better and understand what our roles are.”’