The Buffalo Bills begin their three-day mandatory minicamp this week at One Bills Drive in Orchard Park.
Although the media who will be on hand are not allowed to report on specific aspects of practice, such as what players are lining up where or who is taking reps with individual units, there are still several storylines fans will be interested in following that can be watched closely and reported on.
Here are three of the most notable:
1.) Attendance
As opposed to the last several weeks of organized team activities (OTAs), this minicamp is mandatory. All players must be in attendance or risk being fined by the organization. The team can elect to term anyone not present as an “excused absence,” but otherwise, all 88 players currently on the roster are expected to be in Orchard Park.
Over the first three days of OTAs that the media has been allowed to watch (one per-week), five players were absent from each of them - defensive ends Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison, defensive tackles Vernon Butler and Star Lotulelei, and running back Taiwan Jones.
Lotulelei has been a specific target of interest amongst fans, because he opted out of playing in 2020. However, recent social media videos have shown him working out and preparing to play this season, and the team is making him available to speak to the media on Tuesday following practice, which is an indication he is in town and will be participating in minicamp.
2.) Chemistry
The Bills have as much of, if not more continuity than any team in the entire league, as far as returning players and coaches. However, there is still an adjustment that goes into working together as a full unit for the first time in almost six months.
While most players have been present for the recent OTAs, other notables have missed some sessions, including wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Emmanuel Sanders, as well as running back Devin Singletary.
These minicamp practices will provide a chance for the entire offensive and defensive units to be on the field and everyone working together again for the first time since their AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs back on Jan. 24.
3.) New additions
Of course not every player in a Bills uniform this week played for the team last year.
There were several key veteran additions this offseason, including Sanders, quarterback Mitch Trubisky, running back Matt Breida, tight end Jacob Hollister, defensive end Efe Obada, and punter Matt Haack. There are also eight new drafted players, including the team’s respective first and second round selections, defensive ends Gregory Rousseau and Carlos “Boogie” Basham, as well as several undrafted free agents.
While all of them have been present for the media available OTAs, they now will all get their first taste of NFL action with an entire squad, getting a feel for what training camp will be like when it starts at the end of July.
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