Jones doesn't make it to Patriots training camp

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The New England Patriots are entering training camp with the idea that they'll throw a bunch of wide receivers at the wall and see what sticks.

Former Buffalo Bills wideout Donald Jones was supposed to be a part of that, but now, he won't be. (photo: RX Eman, Flickr)

Jones, who was signed by the Patriots in March, was released by the team Friday. The move corresponds with the Patriots' signing rookie free agents Perez Ashford and Quentin Sims.

Jones, Jenkins enter Pats' wideout bout on bubble

BY NICK ST. DENIS

When the New England Patriots brought in receivers Donald Jones and Michael Jenkins earlier this offseason, their final roster spots were far from guaranteed. As were their contracts.

And after New England drafted two wideouts in the first four rounds of the 2013 NFL Draft, something will certainly have to give. (photo: Jeffrey Beall, Flickr)

As ESPN Boston notes, Jones and Jenkins are two of the dozen Patriots players most affected by the draft and late free agent signings.

Not everyone thinks Levitre is Bills' biggest loss

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Andy Levitre's departure is widely considered to be the Buffalo Bills' biggest loss this offseason, but wide doesn't cover everyone.

Bills beat reporter Tim Graham of the Buffalo News sat down with Dolphins.com's The Finsiders recently to talk all things Buffalo, giving his insight on the team's offseason moves and the brand new coaching staff. (photo: Matt Britt, Flickr)

Graham was asked who he thought was the Bills' most significant departure during the free agency period, and his answer may surprise some.

Pats nab another ex-divisional foe in Donald Jones

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The New England Patriots have a pretty good track record of picking up leftovers from the rest of the division and integrating them into their system as contributors.

And so it continues.

Friday, the Patriots acquired receiver Donald Jones, most recently of the Buffalo Bills, as reported and confirmed by multiple media outlets.

Patriots to host Donald Jones, Leon Washington

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The plug-and-play New England Patriots continue their assembling Thursday in hosting a pair of familiar faces.

According to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News, former Buffalo Bills receiver Donald Jones will pay a visit to Patriots headquarters.

Former New York Jets tailback and returner Leon Washington, most recently of the Seattle Seahawks, is also slated for a meeting with New England, via ESPN's Adam Schefter. (photo: RX Eman, Flickr)

Jones’s departure puts pressure on Nelson’s return

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Now that the Buffalo Bills have made wide receiver Donald Jones’s departure certain, the team can now look toward the more uncertain: the health and progress of wide receiver David Nelson.

Before tearing a ligament in his knee in Week 1, Nelson was a solid target for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2011, amassing more than 650 yards on 61 catches. He made his living primarily in the slot, an area the Bills’ struggled with in 2012. (photo: Matt Britt, Flickr)

With Jones now out of the picture, Buffalo will look to Nelson to bring stability back to the role so they can shift their focus on the perimeter passing game.

Bills not bringing back wide receiver Donald Jones

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Thursday morning, WGR 550 reported that the Buffalo Bills were working on a contract extension for restricted free agent Donald Jones.

Never mind. Thursday afternoon, Bills general manager Buddy Nix announced that the Bills "have made the decision not to re-sign Donald." (photo: Jeffrey Beall, Flickr)

“We’re going in a different direction and this move today gives Donald the opportunity to catch on with another team early on in the process," Nix said, via Buffalo Bills.com. "We thank him for his years with our organization and wish him the best in the future.”

Bills' Johnson, Jones will be good to go this week

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The Buffalo Bills will be a little better off at receiver this coming Sunday than they were at the end of last Sunday.

Stevie Johnson, who exited the Bills' victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars after a touchdown catch with hamstring tightness, said Monday that he'll "be cool for Sunday."

Johnson is getting treatment early this week, and coach Chan Gailey said the earliest he'll practice is Thursday.

It sounded like he’ll be able to go (Sunday),” Gailey said. "... We’ll see how good he can move Thursday and Friday and make a decision.” (photo: Matt Britt, Flickr)

Bills' WR corps readjusting for year without Nelson

DAN BEGNOCHE

The Buffalo Bills' receiving squad has been shaken up a bit since the loss of David Nelson on Sunday. Donald Jones and Stevie Johnson are up for the challenge.

Nelson tore a ligament in his right knee early in the fourth quarter against the New York Jets before finding himself on injured reserve and incapacitated for the remainder of the season.

No. 2 receiver Donald Jones will likely take over in the slot position, a job he had become accustomed to in training camp.

“I can do everything that they ask of a slot receiver to do whether that is block or being down in the end blocking a linebacker,” Jones said Wednesday, according to the team's media site. “Anything they want from screens to any type of routes in the field I can do it all. Whatever they ask me to do I’ll do it and I’ll be good at it.”

As the Bills' No. 1 receiver, Johnson is feeling the pressure to perform as well, especially after being held to only 55 yards against the Jets, 30 of those coming from his touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter against a backup cornerback.

Easley the odd man out in Bills' receiving corps?

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The Buffalo Bills had somewhat of a training camp battle for the team's No. 2 receiver spot on the depth chart.

But the real competition was about staying on the roster.

Stevie Johnson is the Bills' clear-cut No. 1 wideout, but rookie T.J. Graham and returners Donald Jones, David Nelson, Derek Hagan and Marcus Easley were jockeying for position in the Bills' oft-used three and four-receiver sets.

As the Bills finished up their training camp session at St. John Fisher College, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick discussed chemistry developed with his wideouts.

He left out a name (actually a few), which was likely unintentional but very telling at where Buffalo's receiver situation is at.

“Right away David Nelson started out strong and then didn’t practice much, but he’s a guy that I know I can rely on,” Fitzpatrick said, according to BuffaloBills.com. “I think my relationship with Derek Hagan and Donald Jones has really grown in terms of getting comfortable with those guys.

"Making sure we’re on the same page in how they run their routes. So we’ve made a lot of progress in that regard through training camp and I think it’s just going to get better.”

No. 2 receiver label means little on Bills' depth chart

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The Bills have a little competition going on this offseason for their No. 2 receiver gig, though it's just as much competition for a label as it is for actual playing time.

Returner Donald Jones is supposedly the leader in the clubhouse to win the job, but Jones has reportedly worked mostly out of the slot during OTAs. He's battling with rookie T.J. Graham and returners Marcus Easley and Derek Hagan, among others, for a spot high on the depth chart. David Nelson will also see plenty of time from the slot.

Regardless, the difference between the No. 2, No. 3 and even No. 4 wideout tag on Buffalo's roster is marginal, according to quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

"We're not in a lot of two wide receiver sets," Fitzpatrick told BuffaloBills.com's Chris Brown this week. "We're three, four wide receiver sets, getting everybody on the field.

"So for guys to be versatile, to be able to play all those spots. those are the guys that are really going to help us out."

Basically, the No. 2 and No. 3 receivers will likely see a comparable amount of time and passes, with clear-cut No. 1 wideout Stevie Johnson as Fitzpatrick's No. 1 target.

With No. 1 set, Bills' WR corps will settle into place

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

Every wide receiving corps needs a No. 1. The Bills took care of that Monday with the re-signing of Stevie Johnson. Now, Buffalo will look to fill the gaps around Johnson to round out its air attack for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Buffalo currently has a slew of receivers on its roster, a mix of young and old, and what the team will look like in terms of a starting squad remains to be seen.

The Bills saw a number of young players step up throughout last season as they struggled through injuries, and it will be interesting to see who is still around after free agency and the draft have passed. Here's a few names you will most likely see come training camp and beyond:

Season likely over for Bills receiver Jones

Buffalo Bills coach Chan Gailey gave Donald Jones and "outside chance" of returning this season, calling the second-year wide receiver's ankle injury, which he sustained in the Bills' 35-8 loss to the Miami Dolphins Sunday, more long-term than short-term.

Bills' all-purpose Smith has more purpose

It should be Brad Smith time for the Buffalo Bills.

With wide receiver Donald Jones out for four-to-six weeks to a high ankle sprain and fellow wideout Roscoe Parrish already done for the year, the Bills are getting dangerously thin at wide receiver.

Naaman Roosevelt made five catches Sunday filling in for Jones, but Buffalo is going to need more to continue with some of their spread receiver sets. The team is certainly doing its due diligence in the free agent market, but Buffalo will likely look in house for the short-term fix – Smith.

“We’re going to have to,” Bills’ coach Chan Gailey told the media Wednesday about the prospect of using Smith more. “It’s all hands on deck this week and maybe for the next few weeks.”

Smith, who is categorized as a QB/WR on Buffalo’s roster and is the third quarterback listed on the depth chart, is plenty familiar with the wide receiver position.

The converted quarterback from Missouri recorded a career-high 32 receptions for 325 yards and two touchdowns for the New York Jets in 2007. He’s had 66 catches in his five-and-a-half-year career and made two receptions for 25 yards this season.

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