Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘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.”’

‘“It used to (tick) me off, but not so much anymore,” said Roberts, who is coming off a season during which he led the NFL in kickoff return yards (1,174) and punt return average (14.1) but caught only 10 passes in a limited role as a wide receiver while playing for the Jets. “I kind of don’t care what other people think, it’s about my coaches and what they think.”’

‘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.’

‘“I got a call about 5 or 6 in the morning,” the Buffalo Bills rookie running back recalled the other day following a training camp practice at St. John Fisher College. “I just thought this can’t be real, this can’t be true. But it was.”’

‘Coach Sean McDermott, who mentioned again that he likes being in Rochester for part of training camp, said getting back to Orchard Park helped the young players get a feel for the pregame routine prior to Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts.’

‘“It seems like a different guy makes a play from kind of that group of guys you are referring to and I think Ray-Ray McCloud has had a real nice training camp to this point,” said coach Sean McDermott. “Just with effort and doing the things we expect our wide receivers to do. At the end of the day, you have to get open and you have to get separation and catch the football.”’

‘“We have to be better defensively,’’ McDermott said during spring drills, sending a message to his players before their arrival for training camp at St. John Fisher College. “It’s a mindset and I’m looking for a more physical, nasty defense than we were a year ago.’’’

‘“He’s got the physicality and nastiness. That’s the way he plays the game,” said Schoen. “To him it was like, ‘Why did you ask that? That’s my job.’”’