BILLS: Edwards bruises thigh, prompting Losman to speak

By Jay Skurski<br><a href="mailto:skurskij@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Jay</a>

In just one play Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills’ final night practice of training camp went from nondescript to noteworthy.

On the first snap of 11-on-11 drills after the team had removed shoulder pads, quarterback Trent Edwards and running back Marshawn Lynch collided in the backfield.

Edwards was left with what coach Dick Jauron described as a deep quad contusion (read: thigh bruise), while Lynch had a sore knee. Edwards walked off the field under his own power, which opened the door for J.P. Losman to take first-team reps.

After practice, Losman answered reporters’ questions for the first time since last season’s loss at Jacksonville.

“You’ve just got to be ready,” Losman said. “This whole situation, I’ve just kind of been trying to force myself to get ready. It can be tough at times, but in an instance like tonight it can happen for just a couple of plays.”

That could be all it ends up being, as Jauron wouldn’t even rule Edwards out of today’s practice.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what happens. Sometimes they come back very quickly, sometimes they don’t,” the coach said of Edwards’ injury. “Sometimes it turns into a deep bleeding thing. We’re hoping it’s not that.”

If the injury keeps Edwards out for an extended amount of time, Losman will return to a job he thought was his entering 2007. After a couple shaky performances and a knee injury against the New England Patriots in Week 3, Buffalo’s new quarterback of the future became Edwards.

Losman briefly got the job back after an Edwards injury, but was yanked from the lineup permanently after that ugly loss to the Jaguars.

Since then, he’s either declined or ignored reporters’ requests for interviews, until Tuesday night. Sporting a shaggy beard, Losman spoke for about 4 1/2 minutes.

“It was very difficult,” he said of accepting a backup role. “It was very difficult to get motivated, but with the help of friends and family, my agent, we just keep pressing on. You’ve got to keep looking at that light. You’ve got to keep saying something could happen. You’ve got to be ready for it. Looking at the overall picture, (the) overall career of a player, this is just one year, there’s a long way to go.”

The Bills coaching staff and Losman’s teammates have complimented the quarterback’s acceptance of his role and commended him for not becoming a distraction during camp.

“He’s done pretty well under the circumstances,” Jauron said. “J.P.’s a good guy and a good teammate.”

Asked if he was upset with the team, Losman wouldn’t take the bait.

“Right now is not the time to be thinking about anything like that. I had a chance to digest everything that happened in that situation in the offseason and right now I’m strictly just focused on being ready,” he said.

Here’s a quick look at a few more topics Losman discussed:

• On his relationship with Trent Edwards: “Trent’s great. No situation has changed there as far as a friendship. It’s not his fault the situation is the way it is. … I’m pulling for him.”

• On new offensive coordinator Turk Schonert and quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt: “I feel very, very comfortable with Turk and Alex. I like going to work with those guys each and every day. We’ve agreed in the past over many things. They just weren’t in a position to make those things come true. Even though the situation has changed, I’m still with those guys, and that makes coming to work that much easier.”

INJURY UPDATES: Second-string linebacker John DiGiorgio missed practice Tuesday with a left calf injury. “It’s been bothering him for a while and it really was weak, so we wanted to make sure we take care of that for the game,” Jauron said. … Wide receiver Roscoe Parrish remains out with a sore knee. Jauron said he hopes Parrish can return to practice Thursday or Friday. … S Donte Whitner wasn’t at practice, as he continues to deal with a personal matter. … WR James Hardy rode the stationary bike on the sidelines as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. … OT Matt Murphy (shoulder), WR Scott Mayle (hamstring) and TE Derek Schouman (knee) also weren’t on the field.

TIME CHANGE: Today’s final session of training camp has been moved to 9:30 to 11:10 a.m. The team will break camp at the end of practice and head back to Orchard Park, where practices are closed to the public.

Contact reporter Jay Skurski at 693-1000, ext. 117.