1. Tight end Tyler Kroft cleared for full practice participation; Devin Singletary to miss Wednesday's practice
The injury report for the Bills on Wednesday had some good news and bad news. The good news is for the first time tight end Tyler Kroft will be a full participant in practice this week.
Coming off of surgery for a fracture in his foot this past spring, Kroft has been limited in the practice setting the first two weeks of the season. In Week 1, he was listed as doubtful and did not dress for the game. In Week 2, he was listed as questionable and was inactive as well.
"He'll practice full today and we'll evaluate him through the week," said head coach Sean McDermott.
It would be an interesting storyline for Sunday's game if he's deemed ready to play this week because in his Bills debut he'd be facing his former team, Cincinnati.
The news wasn't as good for rookie running back Devin Singletary, who left last week's game with a hamstring injury.
"He remains day-to-day. He's not going to practice today," said McDermott. "We'll get a better feel as we go through the week."
Meanwhile wide receiver Andre Roberts, who has missed each of the first two games this season with a quad injury, is practicing on a limited basis. Taron Johnson is still sidelined by a hamstring injury.
2. Right tackle rotation to continue
Through the first two games this season, there has been a rotation at right tackle. Rookie Cody Ford starts and typically gets two series of work to every series for veteran Ty Nsekhe.
When asked if it's a long-term plan coach McDermott didn't rule it out and said for now that rotational approach will continue.
"We'll see," McDermott said on the future of the Ford-Nsekhe combination. "We're just going to take it one game at a time and see how it goes in practice and go from there."
3. Downfield blocking pays off
Whether it was Frank Gore getting a block on the edge to spring Josh Allen for a touchdown on his quarterback sweep or Dawson Knox sustaining his block for almost five seconds to give Isaiah McKenzie a path to the end zone, Buffalo's downfield blocking through the first two weeks of the season has led to big plays.
"It's good when the entire team can do that," said McDermott. "You notice Dawson's block on Isaiah's touchdown last week. Just the commitment to blocking from those wide receivers and tight ends downfield has been big. I think Cole (Beasley) had a catch and run in the second quarter last week and other receivers were trying to finish the play the right way, which was good to see."
Last season the Bills finished last in the league in yards after catch with 142 yards. This season they already have 106 yards after the catch in two games, due in part to the improved blocking downfield.
