Archives for August 9, 2017

'Sure, we’re encouraged by the talk from the new football regime. But hype is cheap, and tickets are not. Until a full-blown change of direction is realized, the Bills will lose more fans like Dad, and team officials should be worried. Would it kill them to really thank the fans they have, and had?'

'Left tackle Cordy Glenn (foot soreness) and defensive end Shaq Lawson (groin) are day to day, the coach said, so they're status "remains up in the air" for the game.'

'"A good addition for our football team, a good addition for our organization," coach Sean McDermott said before Tuesday's training-camp practice at St. John Fisher College. "Anquan's a good football player, first and foremost. We all know what type of person he is. There's a reason he won the Walter Payton Man of the Year (award).'

'"Just the little bit of time I had with him today, in individual (drills) and staying after practice and working with him, still a great route-runner, of course," said Taylor, whose first NFL pass completion was to Boldin at the end of a blowout loss against San Diego in 2011. "A guy that has strong hands, was able to display that in a couple one-on-one periods and in team periods. Just a natural catcher in traffic, so definitely excited to have him a part of this team.'

'Anquan Boldin took the field in his familiar No. 81. The veteran wide receiver, signed Monday, participated in his first practice as a member of the Bills. Boldin wore No. 81, which meant Andre Holmes switched to No. 18 and wide receiver/returner Rashad Ross took No. 86.'

'"It's very stiff. I think coach is still deciding," Ragland said after practice of the competition. "On my part, I've got to keep playing hard, and whatever the coaches want, I've got to go with."'

'"It's funny to really think about, because he played with my uncle, Jeff Blake, at the Cardinals," Jones said. "I knew of Anquan Boldin. I watched Anquan Boldin, have a lot of respect for him. It's just awesome having him in our room. Phenomenal player. In my opinion, going to be a Hall-of-Fame player."'

'Today went well for a first day, but I’ve been doing this for quite some time now. You don’t put too much into that first day as far as knowing everything. Knowing you’re coming into a new system, it’s still like you’re a rookie. You have to learn everything and I’m still in that process so I’m still learning, still studying, doing extra meetings with my position coach – just trying to get caught up as much as possible.'

'"I think this team is close enough, if you ask me," Boldin said. "The thing you can't do is try to figure out which team is going to win the Super Bowl. I mean, there's a lot of experts out there that are wrong every year, and I just know that from playing football.'

'Could Boldin be the one making those two to three plays in a game that make the difference between winning and losing? That when you add them up, give the Bills the one to two wins they’ve been lacking for so long? The difference between 8-8 and 10-6?'

'“It was the craziest, weirdest feeling I ever had in my life,” said Wright. “I stood up and I was out of it, wasn’t sure what happened, and I couldn’t really feel the right side of my body. I tried to grab my mouth piece with my right hand and it fell out of my hand.”'

'“Everyone would like to have a better chance to view them,” she said. “When you’re here on the little field, you can’t see them at all. There were so many people in the stands, and they realized most of the practice was going to be here, so they all had to move and there’s not a lot of places to see them here.”'

'"I'm gonna go ahead and say it," Watkins said. "They all want me to say it. I'm going to say Gilmore. That's what everybody is looking for so I can't wait to go against him."'

'"The starters will go about a quarter, give or take," said McDermott. "You'll see some blending in there, but for the most part a quarter."'

'Anquan Boldin wasted no time making his presence felt. He was working with the first and second teams during team drills and caught a few passes from Tyrod Taylor. His route running, physicality and hands will help him stay productive in the league. He already was gathering the receivers after practice, so he hasn't been shy about establishing himself as a leader, either.'