Fine out, new TE signed
The Bills have placed tight end Derek Fine on the injured reserve list and signed three-year veteran Joe Klopfenstein to take his place.
Fine has some type of knee injury, although he has played in every game since Week Two and started each of the past five games. Klopfenstein is a 6-foot-5, 262-pounder who played the previous three years with St. Louis. He was a second-round pick of the Rams in 2006 out of Colorado. He caught 20 passes his first year, two his second and 11 in 2008. He was cut by the Rams after the first roster cutdown in preseason and has been a free-agent since.
Fine's injury is another small blow to the offense. While he only had nine catches, he is a decent blocker. Expect Shawn Nelson and Jonathan Stupar to be the top two tight ends now in the two-tight end formation, which the Bills use more than any other. Stupar will have to show he can fill the blocking role.
Buffalo also signed offensive lineman Christian Gaddis to the practice squad and placed WR C.J. Hawthorne on the practice squad injured list. Gaddis was cut by the Bills after training camp.
---Mark Gaughan
