Bills wide receiver James Hardy returned to the practice field Wednesday evening for his first extensive workout since Aug. 10, when he suffered an undisclosed injury while running a pass route in practice.

Hardy has fallen down the depth chart and could have a difficult time making the 53-man roster because he's had problems staying on the field. He did not play in the first two preseason games this year and had just one catch for 9 yards in two games last season while recovering from a knee injury he suffered late in his rookie year.

"We tried to be smart with getting James back," Bills coach Chan Gailey said. "He felt great, so we'll push it a little harder [today]. He could even play Saturday night, which would be a real positive."

Hardy, selected in the second round in 2008, is hoping to get some game action Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals so he can show Gailey he's worth keeping. The Bills were hoping he would become an impact player with his 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame. So far, he has shown almost nothing.

"Hopefully, I can showcase my talent on Saturday," Hardy said. "Each and every day, you have to show something. The days that I was out there, I showed huge improvement, huge strides. Now, it's time to go out there and do [it] on game day. I'm looking forward to it."

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The Bills worked out Wednesday for just less than two hours under the lights at Ralph Wilson Stadium, their first practice after training camp in Pittsford.

Gailey pushed back meetings until the afternoon and practice to 7:15 p.m. so his players could get settled after moving out of the dorms at St. John Fisher College. He also wanted to give them some time under the lights in the stadium.

"You want to practice under the lights to let them get a feel for it," Gailey said. "In 72 hours, we'll be here. I wanted to make sure we had a little experience at that."

The Bills are scheduled to practice for 90 minutes today beginning at 11 a.m. All practices are closed to the public.

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Left tackle Demetrius Bell, who has been eased into action after suffering a knee injury, arrived on the field in full pads about 40 minutes after the scheduled start of practice Wednesday.

It was a good sign for the Bills, who are hoping Bell will be ready for the start of the regular season.

Linebacker Keith Ellison was held out of practice as a precaution for what Gailey called "little flareups." He's expected to be back today.

Running backs Fred Jackson (hand) and Marshawn Lynch (ankle) did not participate in practice along with safety Jairus Byrd (groin), tight end Derek Schouman (knee) and safety Jon Corto (wrist). Linebacker Reggie Torbor also missed practice with an undisclosed injury suffered last week against Indianapolis. Rookie receiver Donald Jones was excused for a second straight day for personal reasons.

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Bills safety Bryan Scott on his former teammate Terrell Owens, now playing for the Bengals: "The mystique is no longer there. You see how he works. You see how he trains. You know what to expect. He's an incredible athlete."

bgleason@buffnews.comnull