The day before Buffalo had its first training camp practice, players performed their conditioning tests and then talked to the media.
Wide receiver Mike Williams, who was acquired by the Bills this off-season through a trade with the Buccaneers, missed 10 games last season with a hamstring injury. Williams said he felt “great” after his conditioning test this morning, stating he thought he got an “A+”, and feels “ready to go”.
“I think I’m one hundred percent fully ready to go,” said Williams. “I’ve trained this whole offseason, there really is no offseason because I had to get my leg feeling better again. I had to get to feeling like Mike again. Today running that conditioning test made me feel like I was Mike again.”
Williams believes the receiving core works “together especially well”, and will bring “the best out in each other”. Williams is in a unique position as the oldest among the wide receivers at age 27, yet is still going to have to fight for his spot on the roster.
“It’s kind of hard because there are a lot of guys asking for advice,” said Williams. “But at the same time I’m trying to learn what’s going on and learn the offense, learn the plays and ask them questions because they’ve been here, so it’s a weird balance. I just need to get caught up and master the playbook to a level where I can teach it.”
Manny Lawson, 30, was the elder statesmen at the linebacker position last year in his first season as a Bill, but is playing at defensive end this season in new defensive coordinator Jim Schartz’s defense. Lawson said his role was defined in minicamp, and enjoys have more pass-rushing opportunities this season.
“I’m definitely focusing on that skill set, being that I’m primarily a defensive end right now and that’s what defensive ends do,” said Lawson. “That’s the role that I’m playing. That’s the role that I want. That’s the role they’ve given me a chance to play.”
Training camp provides the unique opportunity for teammates to compete against each other, especially the offense and defense matching up against each other. Lawson stopped short of calling the battles worthy of a rivalry, but believes the two sides playing their best benefits the team.
“Rivalry is tough, but the competition, being competitive is always there,” said Lawson. “If somebody is having a good day, you’re pretty much going to hear chatter about it from the other side. The other side is going to have to respond to that the next practice or the next thing. In some way, some shape, some form they’re going to have respond to it. That is a good thing. Instead of just having one side of the ball always dominating, going back and forth, offense winning then defense winning, builds camaraderie and builds a team.”
Eight-year veteran defensive tackle Kyle Williams is the senior member on a defensive line that helped the Bills defense rank second in sacks last season. While there is excitement around the team at this point, Williams wants players to temper their enthusiasm for now.
“I think we need to get some work in before we get too excited,” said Williams. “First day is always the first day. We have a long day to go. I think when you look around there are some things to get excited about, but we have a long way to go and I think we can get there.”
Williams stated that Schwartz set an “intense” tone, with the former Lions head coach “getting after guys” and “expecting a lot”, something Williams believes is needed.
“You have to push guys and challenge guys,” said Williams. “It’s what you need as a leader and as a coordinator of the defense. I think we have some really good players and a guy that can do that and push guys and get them going is going to be an asset to us.”
Williams believes the team has “an opportunity” in that the Bills have the most practices during training camp this year. The Pro Bowl defensive tackle knows training camp will show how ready players are to perform at their optimal level when the games really count.
“You’re not ready to play football until you put pads on and practice and get some of that under your belt,” said Williams. “It’s a different level of conditioning and a different level of shape. Obviously we’re going to be in good shape because we’re going to practice a lot against a no huddle offense. They’re going to have to be in shape because they’re going to run it. So I think it’s going to be good for us two fold.”
Tomorrow night’s opening practice will be the first chance to show how in shape and prepared both sides of the ball are to end the 14-year playoff drought, a goal the front office has been clear about this off-season.
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