Rookie safety Jairus Byrd made his training camp practice debut Monday night. Byrd has been recovering from surgery in mid-July to repair a sports hernia injury. He was activated off the non-football injury list and put the pads on for the first time. Byrd, the 42nd overall pick in the draft, worked with the second-team unit at safety.

"I've been waiting a real long time for this," Byrd said. "It's finally here. Now I've just

got to hit the ground running, so to speak."

Byrd would have liked to have played Saturday night against the Bears, since his father,

Gill Byrd, is safeties coach for Chicago.

"Last week I wanted to [practice] but they held me back," Byrd said. "Now, it's just

getting on the field and getting the muscles stronger. ... I always try to get my abs good,

because I need to build that back up. That's pretty much the No. 1 thing I couldn't do, is

abs. And my legs still could be a lot stronger, so I still need to work on that in the weight

room."

Byrd is converting to safety from cornerback, where he starred for the University of

Oregon. He had the second-most interceptions (17) of any player in the April draft. He says he

needs to get comfortable with reading his keys from the back line of the defense.

"It's still kind of awkward just being back there because I haven't been back there for so

long," he said. "But it'll come."

T.O. Today

Terrell Owens returned to practice on a limited basis Monday after sitting out last week with

a sprained toe. He did stretching and individual drills but then took off his pads once the

team went to the 11-on-11 session.

"Terrell did individuals and stayed out for a while," coach Dick Jauron said. "Then we took

him back in and treated him. He said he felt OK. He could still feel it but he said it felt

OK."

Owens' two publicists, Monique Jackson and Kita Williams, were at practice. They're stars

with Owens on the VH1 reality series, "The T.O. Show."

Maybin stalled

The contractual impasse for rookie first-round draft pick Aaron Maybin reached its 24th day,

and there has been no progress since last week.

The search for middle ground in contract numbers continues. Maybin was the 11th pick in the

draft. The 12th pick, Denver's Knowshon Moreno, signed for $23 million over five years and $13

million guaranteed. The ninth pick, Green Bay's B.J. Raji, signed for $28.5 million over five

years and $18 million guaranteed.

Sideline views

The Bills worked for an hour and 45 minutes at St. John Fisher College before a full house of

about 4,000 on the final night practice of camp.

Receiver Stevie Johnson (ribs) returned to practice and caught a couple passes from Trent

Edwards in 11-on-11 drills. ... Marshawn Lynch had a good run off left tackle, getting a good

block from Geoff Hangartner. ... Rookie tight end Shawn Nelson looked smooth catching a 15-

yard pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick and turning upfield. ... Dominic Rhodes had a TD up the middle

in red zone work. ... Fitzpatrick made a play fake and ran to the corner of the end zone on a

bootleg.

Rian Lindell made kicks from 48, 49, 50 and 50 yards. Another 49-yarder appeared to be

slightly blocked. ... Nelson and Roscoe Parrish both left practice a bit early.

"Both of them felt sick, and [trainer Bud Carpenter] actually told me a few other players

felt sick," Jauron said. "So we may have something running through the team."

Walking wounded: Those not practicing Monday included Bryan Scott, Drayton Florence, Travis

McCall, James Hardy, Xavier Omon, Ashlee Palmer and Pat Thomas. Scott suffered a mild knee

sprain, Florence a more severe one.

Schedule

The team practices from 2:15 to 4:20 p.m. today. The last camp practice is 9:30 to 11:10 a.m.

Wednesday. For the rest of the season, the practices in Orchard Park are closed to the public.

Quote of the Day

"The heat is straight to me. In Louisiana it is probably 106 right now, and on turf 110. ...

It is hot out here, but it is good for us."

— Louisiana native Shawn Nelson, Bills rookie tight end.