Bills head coach Rex Ryan told Lisa Salters of ESPN (via Twitter) that he is “cautiously optimistic” LeSean McCoy will be able to play in the club’s season opener vs. the Colts. Ryan’s words echo a recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com who heard that McCoy will likely be ready for Week 1.
Buffalo will be without the services of their No. 1 tailback as they face the Browns in preseason action tonight and they’ll be without his main understudies as well. The Bills announced on Thursday that Fred Jackson (hamstring), Anthony Dixon (calf), and Karlos Williams (illness) are also unavailable. Due to the various injuries and ailments, the Bills’ top three backs this evening will be Cierre Wood, Ricky Seale, and Bronson Hill.
Despite the Bills’ shaky situation at running back, Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News reported on Wednesday that the club has decided against signing free agent Ray Rice. Rice comes with obvious baggage and it doesn’t help that the last time he saw the field, in 2013, he had a miserable season in Baltimore, averaging just 3.1 yard per rush on 214 carries, and 5.5 yards per reception on 58 catches. With McCoy apparently on the mend from a hamstring injury, it doesn’t sound like we should expect the Bills to ink any other big time running backs either.