After missing the last two games Trent Edwards was back under center for the Bills in practice Wednesday, and it appears as though he'll start for Buffalo on Sunday in Denver.
"(Wednesday) was his first practice back and the first time he took a snap in practice in a couple of weeks," said head coach Dick Jauron. "He moved pretty well."
Edwards tested his injured groin with some passing drills with the trainers on Tuesday, and after that went well he was given the go ahead to practice with teammates.
"Good really good," said Edwards when asked how he felt after Wednesday's practice. "I've been spending a lot of time with the trainers and getting some treatment and getting back to where I need to be. Practice I thought went very well and I'm happy with the progress was made and I'm looking forward to (Thursday)."
Edwards did not practice fully and was described as limited on the team's injury report, but the Bills signal caller said he was pretty close to taking every rep with the starters. However, Edwards did admit he's not quite 100 percent yet.
"I'm getting back near there," said Edwards. "There's no more pain in there and that's why I'm out practicing and hopefully that pain won't come back and that's the issue now to make sure I'm getting enough reps, but make sure I'm not developing any pain in there."
Offensive coordinator Turk Schonert felt Edwards' throwing mechanics did not suffer much due to the time off.
"He looked good throwing," said Schonert. "In warmups the other day before the game, the Jets game he said he felt good. I asked him and I didn't know he was ready to throw routes before the game. He said he felt good then and he's even stronger now. But he needs the work."
Edwards is primarily focused on his footwork and driving his hips into the throw, something that was too painful to do when he tried to play with the injury against San Francisco.
"I always need to be mindful of it especially having a lower body injury I need to make sure my legs are there and it's kind of a lesson I've learned over the season so far too is that it's a lot of where a quarterback gets their power and throwing the ball and accuracy with the ball is coming from your lower body," he said. "When it comes down to your groin area it's pretty essential when it comes to dropping back and driving through a football."
Edwards is eager to get the team back on the winning track after two straight losses. Knowing playoffs are off the table, the quarterback would still like to wrap up the season on a high note.
"We were in kind of the same situation last year after we lost to the Browns we were eliminated from the playoffs, but we still had two playoff caliber teams that we fought to the end in those last two games last year. We're unfortunately faced with that situation again this year," he said. "Obviously we'd like to be going toward the playoffs, but that's not the situation. We still have a ton of pride and a ton of confidence and the guys in that locker room are going to come out and fight the next two Sundays and so am I."
Hamdan to serve as backup
Gibran Hamdan was the backup signal caller the last two weeks with Trent Edwards too injured to be anything more than an emergency quarterback against Miami and New York.
But this week with all three of Buffalo's quarterbacks healthy Hamdan will remain the backup for the Denver game.
"I've been told I'm number two this week," said Hamdan. "So I'll be backing Trent up. It makes me feel good. It's been my goal to work hard ever since I've stepped in the building and earn the respect and trust of my teammates. So this I like to think is them recognizing me for the hard work I've put in and the ability that I've shown to get the job done if called upon."
"We're hopeful that Trent will be the guy and that's as far as it will go," said Jauron. "If it got to the two we'd put Gibran out there mainly because we just haven't seen him in that situation. We have a good deal of faith in him."
Hamdan played in three of the team's four preseason games this past August where he completed almost 64 percent of his passes (63.8%) going 30-47 for 258 yards. His passer rating in the preseason was 78.1.
