By Tim Graham
A few notes from One Bills Drive the day after the Buffalo Bills reduced their roster to 53 players ...
As Buffalo News colleague Mark Gaughan noticed in the locker room, five players who were cut Friday still have stalls. That likely means wide receivers Marcus Easley and Kamar Aiken, center Mark Asper, defensive lineman Jarron Gilbert and defensive back Isaiah Green are ticketed for the practice squad if no other team picks them up.
The Bills are on the prowl for young talent, too.
"There were some guys on some other teams that we were interested in," Bills head coach Chan Gailey said. "So it will take a while to get them in here, but we do not practice until Monday."
Gailey on the decision to keep backup quarterbacks Tyler Thigpen, Tarvaris Jackson and Brad Smith: "The injury to Brad, Tarvaris not being here but a short amount of time, all of that played into it. ... I have a hard time going into a game without a third guy that can take a snap, and we didn't know if we’d have Brad this week or not."
Rookie cornerback Ron Brooks is in a walking boot after foot surgery. Gailey confirmed the fourth-round draft pick is a candidate for the NFL's new injured-reserve rule that allows teams to bring players back after eight weeks. To qualify, those players must be on the 53-man roster by Sept. 4 and be designated in advance as a player to return. Previously, any player who went to IR was done for the season.
Gailey said cornerback Terrence McGee's knee is feeling well enough that they expect him to practice Monday.
Gailey on the 53-man roster as it stands today: "I think you've been around Buddy and I long enough to know that nothing's ever set. We're always looking for different ways to improve our football team. I doubt that what you see today is what shows up next Sunday."
