Bills notebook

Owens: It’s coming

By Allen Wilson

NEWS SPORTS REPORTER

Updated: June 10, 2009, 8:46 am /
Published: June 10, 2009, 12:30 am

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Terrell Owens’ integration into the Buffalo Bills offense remains a work in progress, but progress is definitely being made, according to the veteran wide receiver.

“I’m getting it down,” Owens said Tuesday after the Bills completed the first of a three-day mandatory minicamp. “The plays are coming to me. I think the time I’ve been here for the OTAs have been very beneficial. I’m picking up everything and I noticed that I’ve gotten better every day. It’s all about repetition and just getting that quality work in.”

Owens has attended all but two of the 12 voluntary practices (organized team activities), and has gotten in extra work with quarterback Trent Edwards.

Owens said the Bills’ pass routes are similar to those he ran in Dallas. The only change has been learning different terminology and concepts.

None of that should be a problem for a player with 14 years in the NFL. But even for a grizzled veteran like Owens trying to learn so much so fast is as challenging as it would be for a rookie.

“It does slow down a little bit once you know what you’re doing,” said Owens. “With me, you have a new offense, a new terminology. You’re doing a lot of thinking. You’re processing a lot of stuff. So there are some mistakes made.

“Once I get familiar and very, very comfortable with everything, the signals and the codes, that’s when everything slows down.”

Edwards said his chemistry with Owens has improved steadily during the three weeks of practices.

“He’s a communicator,” Edwards said of Owens. “He likes coming back to the huddle, he likes telling me what he saw and he likes asking me what I saw. That’s very important for a quarterback and wide receiver. Same thing, I feel like, is rubbing off on Lee (Evans). He’s been more in my ear about what he wants and what coverage he saw.”

•••

Attendance was nearly perfect for Tuesday’s mandatory session. The only absentees were rookie safety Jairus Byrd and first-year offensive lineman Nick Hennessey. Byrd is unable to participate while his school (Oregon) is still in session.

Rookie tight end Shawn Nelson returned after missing the last five days of voluntary work. Wide receiver Roscoe Parrish had his right calf wrapped in ice after fielding punts and did not participate the rest of the day.

Also missing practice were receivers P. K. Sam and C. J. Hawthorne.

awilson@buffnews.com

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