Watkins, others won't be ready at start of Bills camp

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) Bills receiver Sammy Watkins won't be ready for the start of training camp because of a surgically repaired left foot, though general manager Doug Whaley said all signs indicate the starter is on track to play in Buffalo's season opener.

''We're confident,'' Whaley said Friday, a day before the Bills open training camp. ''You never know what's going to happen with medical issues. There could be some setbacks. But all signs are positive for him being ready for Baltimore.''

Watkins had screws inserted into his foot to repair a stress fracture in April, and was one of 10 players - including starting defensive tackles Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus - placed on various inactive lists after the Bills held a conditioning session at their camp facility in suburban Rochester, New York.

Each player can be activated at any time before teams are required to set their 53-player rosters on Sept. 3.

Watkins landed on the active/physically unable to perform list along with rookie first-round pick Shaq Lawson (shoulder surgery), receiver Marcus Easley (left knee) and Williams, who had surgery on his left knee in December.

Lawson is expected to miss at least the first month of the season.

The Bills are suddenly short at outside linebacker. Veteran Manny Lawson, who was supposed to fill in for Shaq Lawson, was placed on the active/non-football injury list after sustaining an upper body injury while working out earlier this month.

Whaley said the team's medical staff was still evaluating the nature and severity of Manny Lawson's injury.

Dareus joined running back Karlos Williams, offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson and defensive back Jonathan Dowling on the active/non-football injury list.

Whaley said Dareus has an illness and shouldn't miss much time.

Henderson passed his conditioning test, but is still not medically cleared for practice. Last spring, he had two operations on parts of his intestines to reduce the effects of Crohn's disease.

Williams was overweight upon reporting to the team's mandatory minicamps last month. He will also miss the first four games of the season while serving an NFL suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

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