Chargers tight end Antonio Gates was taken off the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday. And participated in parts of practice after passing a physical.
Gates had surgery nearly six months ago to repair a tear in the plantar plate of his left foot. He injured his left big toe during a playoff game against Tennessee last January. He was placed on the PUP list in late July.
“Today was a pretty good day. I really pushed it. I gave it my all to see what I could do,” said Gates, a Pro Bowl selection each of the past four seasons.
He said his prospects look good for playing in the regular-season opener against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 7, but only if he doesn’t have any setbacks with his foot.
“I hate to look so far down the road because this is a tricky situation,” Gates said. “It’s one of those things where it feels really good one day and you come back another day and it’s sore.
“It’s one of those injuries where you have to really monitor and make sure I’m not overdoing it.”
If Gates hadn’t passed a physical before the final roster cutdown on Aug. 30, he would have been required to miss the first six games of the regular season.
Defensive end Luis Castillo also returned to practice after missing most of the past two weeks due to back pain. Castillo signed a five-year, $43 million contract last month.
Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman (knee) missed both of Tuesday’s practices.
—-
Buffalo Bills starting quarterback Trent Edwards sustained a deep bruise to his right quadriceps during practice Tuesday night, and it’s unclear whether he’ll return to practice this week.
Coach Dick Jauron said trainers began treating the thigh injury immediately to reduce any potential swelling after Edwards walked off the field with a slight limp. Jauron said it was too early to determine whether Edwards would be able to practice Wednesday or play in Buffalo’s preseason game at Indianapolis on Sunday.
“We’ll just have to wait and see what tomorrow holds for it so I’ll wait until the morning,” Jauron said. “Sometimes they come back very quickly, and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes it turns into a deep bleeding thing and we’re hoping it’s not that.”
Edwards was hurt about 45 minutes into practice during 11-on-11 drills when he collided with running back Marshawn Lynch’s knee after handing off the ball. Edwards went down and lay on the field for about 5 minutes as team trainers examined his right leg. Also joining Edwards was Bills chief operating officer Russ Brandon.
Edwards favored his right leg when he was helped up, and then walked on his own to the team’s locker room at training camp in suburban Rochester.
Lynch continued practicing, but began experiencing soreness in his knee shortly after the session ended and was taken to the trainer’s room as a precaution, Jauron said.
Buffalo’s third-round pick out of Stanford in 2007, Edwards got the starting job ahead of J.P. Losman midway through last season. Selected as the starter prior to the start of the season, Edwards is coming off a solid preseason outing, going 9-for-11 for 104 yards and two touchdowns in two series in a 24-21 win over Pittsburgh last week.
Losman would take over the starting duties if Edwards is out.
Edwards’ injury reminded Losman of how important it is to be prepared. And he acknowledged it’s been difficult for him to stay motivated after the Bills declined his request to be traded this offseason.
“This whole situation, I’ve just been trying to force myself to kind of get ready. And it could be tough at times, hard at times,” Losman said. “But like the instance tonight … I’ve just got to be ready. There’s a lot on the line every game. If it’s three plays this year or whatever, I want to come through for my teammates.”
The comments were Losman’s first since late November, when he lost the starting job for a second and final time to Edwards. It marked the second time Losman was benched during a season after he lost the starting job twice to journeyman Kelly Holcomb in 2005.
The second of Buffalo’s two 2004 first-round draft picks, Losman said he likes working with Edwards and the Bills offensive coaching staff.
“It’s not his fault. For me to be upset at him is childish,” Losman said, referring to Edwards. “I’m pulling for him. I help him as much as I can and vice versa.”
Losman is entering the final year of his contract and his agent, Gary Wichard, has said his client has no intention to re-sign with the Bills after this season.
Backup linebacker John DiGiorgio was held out of practice Tuesday because of a sore calf muscle.
Receivers Roscoe Parrish (left leg) and rookie second-round pick James Hardy (sore hamstring) both missed their second straight practice. Jauron said he expects both to resume practicing by Thursday.
The Bills break camp on Wednesday, and return to their Orchard Park headquarters.
