Bills
BILLS NOTEBOOK: Team still quiet on McKelvin's injury
ORCHARD PARK — Just what happened to Bills defensive back Leodis McKelvin — who has not been able to take part in organized team activities because of a finger injury — remains a mystery after Friday’s organized team activities.
McKelvin spoke to the media, but wouldn’t comment on the injured middle finger on his right hand.
Bills coach Dick Jauron also steered clear of the situation when he addressed the media after the final session of the week, simply saying he didn’t do it during practice.
“Leodis has a non-football specific injury,” Jauron said. “He should be back relatively quickly. Whatever he told you.”
It’s easy to understand why questions are being raised, simply by the volume of off-the-field incidents the team has had in the past few seasons. Current roster members Marshawn Lynch, Roscoe Parrish, Ko Simpson, Donte Whitner and Corey McIntyre have all been arrested in the past 18 months.
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The Bills were without a large part of their receiving corps, making the exploits of Terrell Owens even more noteworthy during Friday’s session.
Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish didn’t take part in the voluntary workout and James Hardy is still rehabbing his ACL.
But Owens made a pair of big catches and continues to impress.
Jauron said Owens has earned the fear he instills in opponents.
“Nobody’s going to fear somebody that has never done it,” Jauron said. “He’s clearly done it a number of times in his career as we all know, so then you can go right to why he gets it done. Obviously it’s his work ethic and his talent level and his size.”
Although there’s not much to glean from OTAs, Jauron said he believes Owens can immediately help the team in the red zone, a welcome thought for a team that finished 23rd in red zone scoring percentage last season and 30th in 2007.
“Jump balls, I’ve always maintained are very seldom in the field of play, but in the red zone they do occur. And his reach is a factor, his size is a factor, his ability to screen with his body is a factor, so all of those things come into play for us,” Jauron said. “And you have to account for them and you have to worry about it for whatever it means. If it means two there then there’s less to cover other spots.
“It does open up the field and opportunities for other people and as we’ve said earlier, he’s proven himself down there.”
Contact sports editor Tim Schmitt at 282-2311, ext. 2266.
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