Two Bills Drive

‘Hey, what do you say we kick around Ronnie Jones, just for old times’ sake?’

‘It was the second Bills camp in suburban Rochester, but the first for Donahoe and Williams, both of whom were impressed by the operation.’

"We wanted to come out relatively injury-free. As you look across the league, I think we did that. We did have one injury with Jerry [Ostroski] here this past week. He’s coming along well in that respect, but in the whole, we came out of camp with the tempo we had, the aggressiveness we had, relatively injury-free."

‘The much-anticipated countdown to NFL 2001 has begun in Buffalo. In 18 days, on Sept. 9 vs. the Saints, the Gregg Williams era of Bills football begins at the Ralph. What it all means, nobody knows. But, to start the season, it likely won’t be pretty.’

‘Defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, assistant secondary coach Steve Jackson and quarterbacks coach Steve Kragthorpe give the Bills seven coaches with Houston-area connections. "We’re like a family," said Thomas, who coached with Indianapolis after he left Houston and was in private business when Williams called to offer a job. "Not only has Gregg put together a hell of a staff, but we’ve got the kind of camaraderie that can take years to build."’

‘"Typically, the last practice of camp is sloppy and a mishmash because focus and concentration is someplace else, but I think you saw today it wasn’t," he said. "They came out today with an attitude to get a lot done in practice and it may have been one of our better ones today."’

‘Quarterback Jack Hawley had about 10 hours of sheer joy yesterday. And then it wore off in a hurry.’

‘Confidence is not a problem for either Schobel or Edwards. The question is, when will that confidence start manifesting itself into meaningful production?’

‘Next summer will be the third of the five-year deal with Fisher. The team will most likely hold more night practices and will explore hosting a scrimmage, said Russ Brandon, vice president of business development and marketing. "We always take a look at opportunities to make camp better and obviously that (a scrimmage) would be exciting," he said.’

‘Rookie running back Travis Henry sat out his third straight day of practice because of a slight groin injury, but coach Gregg Williams said Henry could return to practice today when the Bills resume workouts at Orchard Park. "Travis probably could have gone today, and I really anticipate him going tomorrow, and if he comes through that practice OK, he’ll play some this week," Williams said.’

‘After 3 years of being embroiled with popular Doug Flutie in a quarterback controversy that turned ugly, can Johnson ever win over Bills fans now that his archrival is gone?’

24-year-old Brown signed with the Seahawks as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2000 and spent the beginning of last season on Seattle’s practice squad before being elevated to the active roster on Nov. 21. He played in one game for the Seahawks last season.

In 2000 Mike Sheppard, Bills OC, was the quarterbacks coach for the Seahawks.

‘Hours after he moved up to No. 3 on the Buffalo Bills depth chart following the release of his lone competitor Pete Gonzalez, Hawley was faced with another challenger. After cutting 10 players prior to breaking camp at St. John Fisher College, the Bills added Travis Brown, who was recently released by Seattle after he appeared in one game last season.’

Attendance for Wednesday: 3,100 (one session)

Total attendance: 96,273 (includes 10,537 from Edinboro sessions with Browns)

The veterans were not successful in surprising equipment manager Dave Hojonowski when he came for his final 6 am wake up call with his airhorn.

"I was waiting for him this morning with a bucket of water, he snuck his head around the corner so he didn’t get it," Phil Hansen said. "He knew somehow."