The Sports Xchange

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Just three months after putting the finishing touches on his breakout NFL season, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Chris Hogan was reminded that, except for a select minority, no one’s job is ever secure in the NFL.

Hogan played primarily as Buffalo’s No. 3 receiver in 2014, and he caught 41 passes for 426 yards and four touchdowns, by far his best production considering he’d caught only 10 passes in the previous two seasons. But when Percy Harvin was cut by head coach Rex Ryan’s old team, the Jets, the coach wasted no time convincing Bills’ management that Harvin would be an ideal fit on this team.

“They brought in another guy to help this team and that’s how I have to look at it,” said Hogan, who will be battle with Harvin and Marquise Goodwin for a roster spot in training camp. “I’m going to work hard regardless, and take advantage of every opportunity I get. Bringing in Percy, I think, helps me work that much harder, and I can learn from him. He’s been around the league for a long time and he has a lot of knowledge that he can pass on. I’m excited to have all those guys on the field at the same time. Our room is pretty dangerous this year.”

Hogan is the kind of player quarterbacks love to have on the team. He’s gritty, he’s fast, and he can find holes in a defense. In many ways, he’s a bigger version of Wes Welker. However, he doesn’t have Goodwin’s blazing straight-line speed, nor Harvin’s game-breaking ability. If the Bills keep only five receivers (one being special teams ace Marcus Easley), that leaves Harvin, Goodwin, and Hogan fighting for the depth spots behind starters Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods.

“I see myself fitting in the same kind of role I had last year,” said Hogan, who also brings some needed value on special teams. “I’m a guy that can play inside or outside. It’s really going to come down to who does what the best and that’s what we’re trying to get to in these OTAs and minicamps. For me, I’m going to try to do everything good and hopefully that carries into training camp and from there, I hope I can find my way onto the field.”

Ryan loves the competition that has been fostered, and he also likes to be in a position to have to make some tough cuts later in the summer.

“There’s some guys that might not make our team quite honestly,” he said. “That is a deep, talented group, there’s no question about it. Especially for a team that’s going to run the ball the way we say we are. But all kidding aside, it is a good group and that might not be the only position where we let some really good, capable NFL players go.”

–Tackle Seantrel Henderson was back on the practice field for the second day of Buffalo’s mandatory minicamp, but he was relegated to second- and third-team status at right tackle. Cyrus Kouandjio continued to work with the first unit, while Tyson Chandler shared the second-team reps with Henderson. Ryan did not speak to the media Wednesday, but offensive coordinator Greg Roman said of Henderson, “You’re not here for a day, you miss a day, so you’re a day behind. It’s that simple. I just think that’s what we did today based on where we’re at.”

Henderson was a surprise draft find last season. Picked in the seventh round, he won the starting job over second-round choice Kouandjio and started all 16 games while Kouandjio dressed for just one game and never played on offense. But Kouandjio seems to have been given a new life thanks to the change in coaching staff. Former head coach Doug Marrone seemed to sour on Kouandjio early last offseason and never let him out of the doghouse. But Ryan and offensive line coach Aaron Kromer like the way Kouandjio has come in and worked hard and competed.

–Elsewhere on the offensive line, guard Richie Incognito said his return to the NFL has gone exactly the way he had hoped. There were questions about whether, after a year and a half off, the 31 year old would still be a viable player, but he never had a doubt about that.

“Taking a year off, I spent the whole time training and staying prepared, so when I did have the opportunity to come back I’d be ready to play,” he said. “I actually expected to be a lot more rusty than I was. We were all learning a new system so we’re all kind of starting from square one, but I think I’m picking up where I left off as a player and hopefully getting better every day.”

Ryan clearly feels that way, saying on Tuesday that Incognito has looked “outstanding.”

–Wide receiver Sammy Watkins did not participate in team drills at all leading up to this minicamp because he’s still recovering from hip surgery, but he did take a couple reps the last couple days and said he’ll be 100 percent ready to go when training camp starts.

“Oh most definitely, I’ll be there first day of training camp competing,” he said. “It’s all about now, how I’m going to take the offseason, getting in shape and coming back ready to compete.”

Taking a few reps Tuesday and Wednesday were a good way to gauge his progress in rehab. “It feels good,” said Watkins. “Just to know I can get on the field and compete and go out there and make a play or two. Just to get back there is a great feeling to me, and just to see coaches confidence in putting me back there and knowing that I’m healthy — it was a great feeling for me.”