ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP)—Even with a week to heal some wounds to key
players, the Buffalo Bills are still hurting.

After enjoying the bye following a disappointing loss to the New York Giants
in Week 6, the Bills returned to practice on Monday to begin preparations for
their annual “home” game in Toronto against the Washington Redskins Sunday.
But hopes that the time off would help linebacker Shawne Merriman’s(notes) right
Achilles and left tackle Demetrius Bell’s(notes) shoulder ailment faded when the two
were unable to participate in the workout.

Merriman tweaked his Achilles in practice the Thursday before the Giants
game, and couldn’t play. At the time, Merriman said he didn’t think the injury
was bad enough to keep him from missing a significant amount of time, but coach
Chan Gailey said the Achilles isn’t making as much progress as everyone had
thought.

“We’re going to try and continue to work with him and see where this
goes,” Gailey said. “If we get to Wednesday or Thursday and things haven’t
gotten a lot better, then we may have to rule him out for the weekend.”

The Bills were also hopeful that starting left tackle Demetrius Bell would
be able to play against the Redskins after he missed the past two games because
of a shoulder injury sustained against Cincinnati in Week 4. But Bell’s still
not 100 percent, and likely won’t be ready.

“If we get him, that’s great,” Gailey said. “But we’re planning on him.”

Making matters worse is Bell’s replacement, rookie Chris Hairston(notes), who has a
right ankle injury that will keep him out for at least a couple more weeks. If
Bell can’t play, starting left guard Andy Levitre(notes) will slide over to tackle, and
backup Chad Rinehart(notes) will take over at left guard.

Levitre took some reps in training camp at left tackle, which should assist
with the transition.

“They pay great dividends now,” Gailey said about the preseason snaps
Levitre had at left tackle. “He got to work on a little technique, but the
communication aspect of it helped greatly.”

Buffalo did get some good news regarding linebacker Chris Kelsay(notes). The
veteran has missed the past two games because of a calf injury, but was able to
practice on Monday and could be ready to play against the Redskins.

Kelsay’s return should help bolster a Bills defense that has dropped to 31st
in the league. They’ve allowed an average of 379 total yards, including 141 on
the ground.

It doesn’t help that Buffalo’s best defensive lineman, Kyle Williams,
continues to be sidelined because of a left foot injury. He missed the 27-24
loss to the Giants after aggravating the foot during a 31-24 win over
Philadelphia in Week 5.

Williams acknowledged on Monday that he currently doesn’t have a timetable
for his return, and added there’s a possibility that the injury may require
offseason surgery.

“Obviously this isn’t what I want to be doing right now,” he said. “It’s
one of those things. I’m disappointed that I can’t do anything about it.”

After coming up short against the Giants, the Bills (4-2) will look to
rebound against a banged-up Washington (3-3) team that will be without starting
running back Tim Hightower(notes) (torn ACL) and receiver Santana Moss(notes) (broken hand).
The Redskins lost their second straight—and third in the last four—on Sunday
with a 33-20 defeat at Carolina.

It will be the fourth regular season Bills game played in Toronto, with
Buffalo yet to win north of the border.

The Bills, who remain a game behind first-place New England (5-1) in the AFC
East, also made a roster move Monday, signing defensive tackle Jay Ross(notes) to the
practice squad and releasing receiver Tim Toone(notes).

Merriman tweaked his Achilles in practice the Thursday before the Giants game, and couldn’t play. At the time, Merriman said he didn’t think the injury was bad enough to keep him from missing a significant amount of time, but coach Chan Gailey said the Achilles isn’t making as much progress as everyone had thought.

“We’re going to try and continue to work with him and see where this goes,” Gailey said. “If we get to Wednesday or Thursday and things haven’t gotten a lot better, then we may have to rule him out for the weekend.”

The Bills were also hopeful that starting left tackle Demetrius Bell would be able to play against the Redskins after he missed the past two games because of a shoulder injury sustained against Cincinnati in Week 4. But Bell’s still not 100 percent, and likely won’t be ready.

“If we get him, that’s great,” Gailey said. “But we’re planning on him.”

Making matters worse is Bell’s replacement, rookie Chris Hairston, who has a right ankle injury that will keep him out for at least a couple more weeks. If Bell can’t play, starting left guard Andy Levitre will slide over to tackle, and backup Chad Rinehart will take over at left guard.

Levitre took some reps in training camp at left tackle, which should assist with the transition.

“They pay great dividends now,” Gailey said about the preseason snaps Levitre had at left tackle. “He got to work on a little technique, but the communication aspect of it helped greatly.”

Buffalo did get some good news regarding linebacker Chris Kelsay. The veteran has missed the past two games because of a calf injury, but was able to practice on Monday and could be ready to play against the Redskins.

Kelsay’s return should help bolster a Bills defense that has dropped to 31st in the league. They’ve allowed an average of 379 total yards, including 141 on the ground.

It doesn’t help that Buffalo’s best defensive lineman, Kyle Williams, continues to be sidelined because of a left foot injury. He missed the 27-24 loss to the Giants after aggravating the foot during a 31-24 win over Philadelphia in Week 5.

Williams acknowledged on Monday that he currently doesn’t have a timetable for his return, and added there’s a possibility that the injury may require offseason surgery.

“Obviously this isn’t what I want to be doing right now,” he said. “It’s one of those things. I’m disappointed that I can’t do anything about it.”

After coming up short against the Giants, the Bills (4-2) will look to rebound against a banged-up Washington (3-3) team that will be without starting running back Tim Hightower (torn ACL) and receiver Santana Moss (broken hand). The Redskins lost their second straight — and third in the last four — on Sunday with a 33-20 defeat at Carolina.

It will be the fourth regular season Bills game played in Toronto, with Buffalo yet to win north of the border.

The Bills, who remain a game behind first-place New England (5-1) in the AFC East, also made a roster move Monday, signing defensive tackle Jay Ross to the practice squad and releasing receiver Tim Toone.

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Prince Amukamara, drafted in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the New York Giants (19th overall) finally signed his contract Thursday night. Amukamara was the final rookie to agree to contract terms. He has missed five on-field practices.

Earlier this week secondary coach Peter Giunta spoke about how anxious the Giants were to get Amukamara into camp.

“He will have to come in and compete and he will have to spend the extra time studying to get caught up with these guys as far as the mental aspect of the game goes,” Giunta said. “We will start working on his technique and try to grab him as much as we can when he is free. We have some volunteer days when players get the days off and we will try to catch him up as best as we can.”

With the CBA ratified Thursday, NFL teams were finally able to get all of their healthy veteran free agents on the practice field. Here is the list of Giants who practiced for the first time: Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, Mathias Kiwanuka, David Baas, Stacy Andrews, Gabe Watson, Ben Patrick, Bear Pascoe, Kevin Boothe, David Carr, Michael Clayton, Andre Brown, Steve Weatherford, Chris White and Jamon Meredith.

– Thursday practice report

NEW YORK, N.Y. – New York Giants owner John Mara has gone from alternate to the first seat on a jury at a trial in federal court in Manhattan.

Mara became Juror No. 1 on Thursday in the second week of a major international drug case. He was elevated after another juror got sick from possible food poisoning. It was unclear if Mara might become jury foreman.

Mara had tried to escape being seated on the trial last week, saying he had to prepare for next week’s NFL draft. He also cited responsibilities as a negotiator for team owners in the NFL’s work stoppage.

He was an alternate until he was promoted after lunch Thursday, his sixth day on the jury. The trial is likely to last another two weeks.