PITTSFORD - While safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s exit grabbed the spotlight at Saturday’s practice at St. John Fisher University, the Buffalo Bills also got encouraging news on another injury front.
Linebacker Terrel Bernard was back on the field for the first time this training camp after participating in 11-on-11 work.
“Feel good,” Bernard told The Buffalo News with a smile. “Been a long, long road getting back, but no, it felt good. Just be out there competing, making the calls, and you are.”
Bernard, a Baylor grad, joked that he had a rivalry going with Eklars-CC during the latter part of the offseason workouts, but both players are doing all they can to build chemistry on and off the field.
“He’s cool, man,” Bernard said. “He’s a great player and a really, really smart football player.”
Palmer’s path back has been more precise than what the veteran receiver saw since spring 2024. Palmer worked with rookie Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir in the depth chart, with Palmer seemingly competing against Coleman to be the third receiver in the rotation.
If the Bills’ three practice sessions are any indication, more of Josh Allen’s passes will be going to running backs James Cook, Ray Davis and Ty Johnson were more involved as receivers during team drills at the start of camp.
Allen connected with the trio on screens, flats and wheel routes, among other concepts. It’s a club the Bills can pull out of their bag for the right matchup, often with offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael said.
“That’s always a part of the game that you like to be able to be productive in, and I think some of that might be specific to who you are playing,” said Carmichael.
Carmichael was excused from the Return of the Blue and Red Scrimmage at the new Highmark Stadium to attend the Hall of Fame induction ceremony for his longtime quarterback in New Orleans. Drew Brees rewrote the NFL record book and galvanized Louisiana with a victory in Super Bowl XLIV in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Brees led the league in touchdown passes four times and twice earned Offensive Player of the Year honors.
There were no surprise absences for the Bills, with defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis returning from whatever forced him to leave early Thursday. Wide receiver Dante Pettis and cornerback D.J. Miller participated for the first time since signing with the team.
The Bills will return to practice at 10 a.m. Monday, with head coach Joe Brady scheduled to speak beforehand.
In Other News...
Bills Secondary Suddenly Has A C.J. Gardner-Johnson Concern
The Bills secondary got a jolt of uncertainty when C.J. Gardner-Johnson went down during a game and needed help getting off the field. The veteran defensive back, who signed a one-year deal with Buffalo in the offseason after stops with several NFL teams, drew attention from trainers and teammates before being carted away with concern centered on his right foot.
What made the scene especially troubling was the way he responded once the medical staff got to him. Gardner-Johnson was unable to put weight on the foot, and the initial fear around the injury left Buffalo with plenty to monitor as the team waits for more clarity on just how serious it is and what it could mean for a secondary that was counting on his experience. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Suddenly Face A C.J. Gardner-Johnson Camp Concern
Training camp always has its share of bumps, but this one put a quick halt to the usual rhythm when C.J. Gardner-Johnson went down during a Buffalo Bills practice. The safety was helped off the field after a lower right leg injury, and the scene immediately shifted the focus from the days work to the bigger question hovering over camp, even as teammates and staff noted he was able to walk.
For now, the Bills are treating it like the sort of situation that demands patience rather than instant answers. Gardner-Johnson is going through the standard medical protocols, and the team has not offered a detailed update yet, leaving the next step tied to imaging and the official word that follows. For a defense that has been sorting out pieces in camp, the wait on one of its most notable additions is the part that matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Secondary Faces Its Biggest Test Against NFL Elite Receivers
The Bills have built their identity around a pass defense that has been as stingy as any in the league, holding opponents to just 156.9 passing yards per game. That kind of production is hard to miss, and it gives Buffalo a real chance to control games even when the offense has an off night. With Jim Leonhard now stepping in as defensive coordinator after a recent run as the Broncos pass game coordinator, there is at least a fresh voice working with a secondary that already has a strong statistical case.
The bigger question is how that group holds up when the schedule turns heavier. Buffalo is set to see a string of tough receiver tandems, from Houston and Detroit to New England, the Rams, the Vikings and Denver, and those matchups will tell the story of just how durable this defense really is. Elite pass coverage can look dominant in stretches, but the Bills will be tested by the kind of wideouts who can force a coordinator to show his hand quickly. [Read more 🡒]