The Bills saw wide receiver Sammy Watkins leave two preseason games and miss a third because of a rib injury this summer, raising questions about whether or not the fourth overall pick will be healthy enough to help the team in the first week of the regular season.
Watkins took a step toward being on the field against the Bears on Sunday by taking part in Buffalo’s practice on Monday. Mike Rodak of ESPN.com reports that Watkins ran routes against air during the portion of the practice open to the media. Rodak adds that Watkins dropped the first pass his way and then did push-ups as penance for his gaffe.
It hasn’t been Bills coach Doug Marrone’s style to give much information about when injured players will return to the lineup, so Watkins’s status will likely continue to be a question throughout the week. If he does play, he’s unlikely to be 100 percent.
Given the way the Bills offense looks as a whole, that might not be a major negative.
