Gabe Steveson and Keaton Bills are the first two out here on a drink-twice-as-much kind of day. Chase Claypool comes next. David Edwards strolls down the hot asphalt and turns left to the third field entrance rather than going through the tunnel.
The breeze at the top of the bleachers beyond the press box is what’s keeping me cool right now. It should reach about 87°. So now, put on your shoulder pads and a helmet and experience what the temperature is down on the field for these players. In fact, you should actually hydrate just to continue reading this.
Barefoot Mac Hollins is making his way barefoot down the asphalt, which has to be over 120° right now. When he goes through the tunnel, he gets a cheer of recognition, waves his arms twice, and takes off in a 3/4 sprint across the field. Hollins is at the far side of the field, standing on one foot and kicking his other foot left and right across his body. The balance this would require would be impossible for the geriatric fan like me.
Brandon Beane passed me on my way over to the field, talking to a guy I didn’t recognize. It was not Brian Baldinger, although he is here today.
Lawrence Keys is taking reps at the JUGS machine, soon to be joined by the taller Justin Shorter.
Gouraige is here in full uniform. I thought I’d read maybe that he had gotten hurt. Van Pran-Granger was with him. Future center.
William Clapp and Tylan Grable come out together, talking.
Ty Johnson’s coming out and drinking an energy drink. More than a good story, Damar Hamlin strides confidently to the tunnel entrance. Reid Ferguson, Tyrell Shavers, and BillsMafia heartthrob Matt Milano head past the JUGS machine.
We spy Taylor Rapp. Dude’s got serious biceps. DaQuan Jones, also seriously built. Gilliam, too. Curtis Samuel looks fast just standing still. Dawson Knox must have a vet rest day, because he has a bucket hat, not a helmet. Keon is still stretching over there. Keon Coleman, who’s been spotted two consecutive nights at my local Penfield Target store.
K.J. Hamler is making his way across the unused stadium field’s end zone. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Quintin Morris, and the wounded vet La’el Collins bring up the rear.
The Bills run two plays before calisthenics. Both had Smoot lined up as an inside defensive lineman with Oliver. This may be the plan if DaQuan’s out for a series. Bad news for guys like Eli Ankou.
Some Calisthenics Stars: Mack Holllins, Spencer Brown looking smooth out there, Josh, the safety Mike Edwards (good news), Taylor Rapp (good news), and a very bulked-up Kaiir Elam.
Some people are down by the exercise bikes doing ropes: La’el Collins, Mike Edwards, and Dawson Knox. Travis Clayton is sitting on the exercise bike. Ty Johnson takes a turn on ropes.
Best Hair is still Matt Hollins by a …hair, with Ty Johnson in second-place, but Javon Solomon certainly could be in the running.
The JUGS machine at the center of the field is being used for low-trajectory kicks today. This is giving most of the returners fits. Kudos to Daequan Hardy, doing well to even picking up a particularly awful line drive kick. K.J. Hamler has a little bit of a bumble. Ray Davis is back there and trying to contend with the erratic bounces. Low kicks are particularly bothersome. Andy Isabella has a muff.
To my right, the squad is fully into positional drills, with emphasis on kick return blocking. To our left, Kromer is leading the offensive linemen in leverage blocking to my left. The defense continues to be on the third field, where there’s a little bit more privacy.
Local boy Joe Andreesen, LB, number 44, was a decent tackler from UB. Joe went to Lancaster high school and was an undrafted guy, but he’s looking good for the practice squad.
They are continuing with the kick return drills. Kudos to Casey Toohill, who was impressive on how fast he got down to the kicker.
Boras, the Tight Ends Coach is working with his position group on blocking using the blocking pads. Davidson uses his arms well to get significant pop in his blocks. Boras adds running to one’s right and then blocking with pop. Boras talks and gestures to Quintin Morris, who doesn’t extend his arms as fully as Davidson did –just saying like I have right along: My TE #3 is Davidson.
The running backs are doing swing passes out to our side. Both Josh Allen and Matt Trubisky lead the back with their passes. Occasionally Shane Buechele throws the ball behind a guy, like right now, to Frank Gore Jr.
Positional Drills continue. Kromer, the offensive line coach, is working with VanDemark and Tylan Grable. Most of Kromer’s gestures seem to have to do with arm extension. I think they’re coaching up Tylan Grable, Beane’s RD6#204 draft pick, to be the Bills’ second-string left tackle. Moving VanDemark over to RT seems to underscore that feeling.
Josh and Company are practicing in-breaking routes. Davidson is the only one that dropped one on that drill –so much for Davidson making the 53.
Isabella having his best day today, Davidson, not so much.
Reggie Gilliam shows that he’s very reliable, and a team that wants to run the ball as much as we do needs a FB worked into the 53-man roster.
One of the best stories of camp has been Shavers, especially when compared to Shorter, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Claypool. Just as I wrote this, MV-S drops another out pattern in positionals. No push-ups. Then, another drop for MV-S. I wonder if he is feeling “The Turk” today. Shakir predictably catches everything in each drill, as does Curtis Samuel.
It’s seven on seven now, with Mitch Trubisky’s pass resulting in a nice catch by Isabella over Kyron Brown.
On the other side of the field, Josh holds onto the ball too long for a real game, and Spencer Brown would have been flagged for holding on the defender. Shakir makes a grab defended by Christian Benford. Coleman was held by Christian Bedford on the next play, but no call. We’re paying four refs??
Trips right on the next play, with Curtis Samuel, Shakir, and Shavers all in a bunch formation. Good luck with that, defensive coordinators! Ray Davis was swinging out to the left flats on the same play, and I wasn’t even tracking where Kincaid went. Oh, and there’s Josh as a real threat to run, too.
Next play got James Cook running, darting smoothly into the end zone, which got a roar of applause from the many people two-deep along the metal fence on the far side. Looked like very tight coverage by Rasul Douglas.
Taylor Rapp bats away a pass intended for Keon Coleman.
And the horn sounds.
Von Miller leads the defense over from the far side of the field and we are on to 11 on 11. You have it all today: a quartet of zebras, official down and distance markers. It’s sweltering; thankfully there’s a breeze up here, not to mention a catbird seat on the action. Joe remarks that his breathable Bills golf shirt is his my new favorite summer shirt, and very very cool. [Click this link] and nothing will happen!
It’s an average hike by McGovern. But pressure by DaQuan Jones and Greg Rousseau causes Josh to have to rush the pass out to his right. No dice.
Back in the huddle. The next hike is from under center. Decent OL run-blocking but nets only two or three by Cook to the NFL’s 2024 stingiest run defense.
First Down on the 35, backfield in motion, it’s a double-reverse, pass back to a screen to Curtis Samuel –there is your razzle dazzle play of the day. I’m enjoying the knowledge that Joe Brady gets input from the players on what they like running, and that they’re mixing it up out there. Happy Players, Happy Team.
You have Shavers up top with Shakir. But it’s a handoff, and Ray Davis runs a short gain out 50 more yards to the end zone. Realistically, though, it’s the only way that the Bills running backs will get exercise in practice this year because the run defense is that good.
Epenesa claps his hands exhorting his team to bring the heat. It’s a nice pass with MV-S catching the ball on a slant, with Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford chasing him down.
The twos are out there now. Spector, Dorian Williams, and Swiss Army Knife Cam Lewis, who chases Darrynton Evans down on a RB Sweep Left.
Alec Anderson is at Center, with Grable in at right tackle and VanDemark left tackle (I think I have that right, although it was reversed earlier), with Clapp and Jarvis the Guards. Trubisky fires a quick shot to Davidson over the middle on a slant-in route.
The ones return. Hamler’s put in motion and Kendall Williamson trying to match him. Good luck with that. Gilliam gets an outstretched hand on the pass, but he was unable to bring it in. The crowd wanted him to catch it, and It would have been catch of the day, too.
It’s the threes out there now, and newbie safety Kareem Jackson dove for –and almost got to– a tipped pass that went up in the air. Welcome to Buffalo!
Magnificent clouds have rolled in which, along with the wind, make it very palatable here in the stands.
Mack Hollins is in motion handoff is blown dead motion by the offensive line. They back the O up 10 yards and it’s first and 20.
Josh throws it on a rope to Shaver, who is cutting across the field. The first down was pretty well-defended by Kaiir Elam and Cam Lewis, but Shavers had the arm length and the stretch.
Lawrence Keys and Keon Coleman employ not-first-string, B-level blocking on Rasul Douglas for a nice run by Ray Davis. I know it’s not real bullets yet, and we’ll see A-level blocking against real opponents, but it was an opportunity.
The defense is headed back to the practice field, so positional drills again. That might do it for me. I see our first dehydration-related player down, and our guess is that it’s Davidson… Upper leg cramping..
After I left, Joe says he saw nice passes to Shakir on a flare left, an always-there dump-off to Kincaid, then passes to Shavers and MV-S. He saw Benford drop a potential INT, then Josh retaliate with a sideline strike to previously cramping Zach Davidson. When the ones returned, it was Shakir on a grab up the sideline, Douglas and Rapp successfully blanketing a TE, and the Catch of the Day to Keon Coleman. Josh found Kincaid on 4th down for a first and goal, and Keon’s TD from the one-yard line, and Keon punted the ball in celebration!
Looks like Keon will be back in Target again tonight, having to replace that ball.
Dean Kindig Twitter: @TCBILLS_Astro
Editor’s babble: Many thanks to Dean Kindig and Joe Reagan (@joer869) for their valued contributions to our blog.
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