The Sports Xchange

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Wide receiver Sammy Watkins is slowly working his way back from offseason surgery to repair a torn muscle in his hip.

Watkins has been present at OTAs, but he isn’t taking team reps — only some light individual drills.

“Feeling pretty good, just getting back to the stance of the team and running routes; right now I am feeling pretty good,” Watkins said. “Mentally I have to get my reps.

“I am not there every day with the guys running routes. So mentally I’ve got to watch the defense and the coverages, watch how things move, because I am going to be coming back soon and everything is going to be fast and I have to pick it up.”

Watkins produced a solid rookie season, with 65 catches for 982 yards and six touchdowns, but he played much of the year with a variety of injuries.

When asked about new receivers coach Sanjay Lal, Watkins said he

believes it will prove to be a great hire by Rex Ryan.

“He is great. He is a great coach,” Watkins said. “So far I haven’t even been on the field with him that much, but my game has improved with just the little things and the details. Seeing our receivers right now become true receivers. He is teaching us how to play the game.”

–The Bills added to their defense by signing defensive end Michael Buchanan, recently waived by the New England Patriots.

Buchanan will vie to be a backup behind Jerry Hughes and Mario Williams, and Ryan likes the 6-foot-5 Buchanan’s wing span.

“He’s a guy that’s got length,” Ryan said. “He has some pass-rush ability. In our system, he can be flexible. A guy has to have pass-rush ability, drop into pass coverage ability, and length.

“And that’s hard to find, but he has those things and the young man will be given an opportunity here.”

Buchanan practiced with the Bills for the first time Wednesday, and he didn’t have much to say about what his role might be at this stage.

“I think a lot of things they do might fit my style of play a little more,” he said. “I think I’m a versatile player and they’re going to do a number of things. And, just being here a couple of days, a lot of talk is putting guys in position to make plays. I feel like, for any player, that’s the best place to be.”

–Ryan was talking up rookie guard John Miller again following an OTA practice on Wednesday.

The third-round pick from Louisville was a player the Bills truly wanted in that spot, and it seems as if Ryan considers him the front-runner to win the left guard position.

Ryan was asked about the progress of Miller and second-year tackle Cyrus Kouandjio, and he said, “I’m happy with the way Kouandjio’s competing out there. He’s doing a nice job. But I’m ecstatic with Miller. I think Miller’s handled it. I think he’s a 10-year vet out there. He doesn’t make mental mistakes and he’s an athletic guy. When we took him, we thought he’d be our starter and we’ll see. But I feel pretty confident that he’s going to be a major contributor for us.”

–The Bills officially announced their joint practices with the Browns, an arrangement that had been widely reported but wasn’t nailed down until Thursday. The sessions will take place on Monday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to noon, and Aug. 18, 6-8 p.m.

Both practices will require a free ticket, details of which will be announced at a later date.

“Joint practices give you more of a chance to evaluate players and do different things,” Ryan said. “It peaks the competition. We want these two days to be productive and we are excited to work against the Browns.”

The teams will travel on Aug. 19 to Cleveland, where they will meet on Aug. 20 in an ESPN preseason game.