BILLS NOTEBOOK: Camp opens without marquee rookies

By Jonah Bronstein

PITTSFORD — Amidst the frenzy surrounding Terrell Owens’ presence at St. John Fisher College on Saturday was a bit of angst over the absence of four prominent rookies on the Buffalo Bills first day of training camp.

Defensive end Aaron Maybin, guards Eric Wood and Andy Levitre, and defensive back Jairus Byrd remain unsigned holdouts. It’s unlikely second-round picks Byrd and Levitre will agree to contracts in time for Sunday’s double-session practices. First-rounders Maybin and Wood may be even further away from joining the team.

Only four first-round picks around the NFL had deals as of Saturday evening, including No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford, who signed with Detroit on the eve of the draft. Several second-round picks remain unsigned as well.

“We are in a week earlier than most clubs and that is a variable,” Bills general manager Russ Brandon said Friday.

“We want to get these done, but we’re going to get them done within the framework of what we feel is right in terms of negotiating with these guys. We’ve been pretty solid at that for many years and we will continue to be. Obviously we want them here, but it’s going to be a fair deal on both sides.”

The Bills were the first team to begin full training camp practices this summer, as they prepare for the Aug. 9 Hall of Fame game. Coach Dick Jauron said one advantage of playing in the league-wide preseason opener is the extra time it gives rookies to prepare for the season.

“I understand all the things that go into the negotiations, both sides, but they need to be here,” Jauron said. “They’ll miss work that’s just hard to make up.”

Tight end Shawn Nelson agreed to contract terms Friday night, and joined the team after missing one practice.

“I actually got in (Saturday) and finished all the paperwork, so they took it a little light with me today,” he said. “But it’s good to be back. And (today) I’ll get back into the role where you do a little bit more. You’ll see a lot more of me running plays, catching balls and blocking a little bit more.”

Byrd could be the next to join the team, as the player taken one spot after him in the second round, Everett Brown, has signed with Carolina. Brown’s deal, reportedly worth $4.3 million, sets the framework for Byrd’s contract.

Because of the University at Oregon’s quarterly academic calendar, Byrd missed all of the Bills offseason practices after the initial rookie minicamp.

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The Bills made three roster moves Saturday, placing receivers James Hardy and C.J. Hawthorne on the active/physically-unable-to-perform list and waiving linebacker John DiGiorgio.

DiGiorgio had microfracture knee surgery two weeks ago and isn’t expected to be fully healthy until January, the player’s agent, Chris Murray, told The Associated Press.

Two years ago, DiGiorgio started 14 games and finished second on the team with 137 tackles. Last year he played in six games before tearing a ligament in his right knee while blocking on a punt return. The Bills re-signed him in February, but he did not take part in spring practices.

Hardy, who tore a ligament in his right knee in December, and Hawthorne, who had surgery on his left foot in June, can join the active roster as soon as they are healthy enough to practice.

The Bills’ second-round pick a year ago, Hardy, ran pass routes without a knee brace Saturday, and is targeting a return in time for the final preseason game Sept. 3.

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While Terrell Owens’ 60-yard touchdown catch was the highlight of the day, the defense had many more standout plays.

On the first play of 11-on-11 work in the afternoon session, Trent Edwards threw a deep pass into the wind to a covered Owens that was intercepted by Donte Whitner.

Ashton Youboty, Leodis McKelvin, Paul Posluszny and Pat Thomas also had picks. Aaron Schobel came close to a pair of sacks in the non-tackling drills, while Chris Ellis and Spencer Johnson both knocked down passes at the line of scrimmage.

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The offense operated without a huddle for most of the day. ... With Wood and Levitre absent, Kirk Chambers and Seth McKinney were the first-team guards. ... McKelvin joined the starting unit after a finger infection limited him in the spring. ... Marcus Stroud was pulled out of the afternoon practice due to pain in his left hamstring.

Contact reporter Jonah Bronstein at 282-2311, ext. 2258.

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