BillBoard

PITTSFORD - Second-year receiver James Hardy says he's still targeting the last preseason game for his return to game action, but he will have to wait and see how his surgically repaired knee responds in the final stages of his rehabilitation process. Hardy is not yet practicing at training camp.

"(I’m listening) to the head trainers and what they tell me to do," Hardy said. "Just come out here and just try to get this knee better. When the time is right, I’ll be out there. Hopefully it will be before the last preseason game, but if not, I’ll be ready for the season."

Hardy on the rehabilitation process: "It’s been up and down. It’s been a long eight months, I’ll tell you that. But with integrity and God, you’ll be able to get through anything, so it was a learning process. I have receivers like Lee Evans that went through the same thing that helped me along the way. When I get down, I call people like him and other guys I know that have been through it, and they help me. For the most part, it’s all mental now and I feel I’ll be able to conquer that."

Hardy is eight months removed from the injury, and a little more than seven months removed from the surgery, which took place in early January.

Meanwhile not practicing on Wednesday were: receivers Terrell Owens (toe), Stevie Johnson (ribs), Felton Huggins (groin), cornerback Ashton Youboty (groin), running back Xavier Omon (ankle), linebacker Ashlee Palmer (ankle) and defensive end Copeland Bryan (hamstring).

---Mark Gaughan