While the news coming from TE Kevin Everett has been very good in the last twenty four hours, the rest of the Buffalo Bills team is getting thinner by the second.
Everett's doctors confirmed yesterday that Kevin has been voluntarily moving his arms and legs and is now under much lighter sedation and can respond to verbal commands. Dr. Andrew Cappuccino, who said Monday that Everett's chances of walking again were "bleak", came back yesterday to say that Everett may be able to walk out of the hospital eventually.
Apparently, the great care taken by the Bills' training staff on Sunday, as well as by The Miami Project (ironic?) to Cure Paralysis immediately after the injury helped reduce the swelling in Everett's spinal cord, and, thus, helped decrease the severity of the injury.
What a great turnaround in this tragic story, but it will still be a long road back to full recovery for Kevin, and all Bills fans will still be keeping him in their thoughts.
Around the rest of Bills camp, however, the injuries, though less severe, to other players keep piling up.
Starting safety Ko Simpson had season-ending surgery on a broken ankle, and starting cornerback Jason Webster had surgery on a broken right arm that will most likely leave him out for the remainder of the year as well. Simpson has been placed on injured reserve.
To add to that, linebackers Keith Ellison, the starter, and his backup Coy Wire, are both on the shelf for this Sunday's game against Pittsburgh.
The defensive line is not safe from the injury bug either, as Ryan Denney is injured and the Bills released reserve Eric Powell yesterday.
At safety, Buffalo will have starter Donte Whitner teamed with career backup Jim Leonhard, who actually played quite well against Denver after Simpson came out. They only have two reserves, John Wendling and George Wilson, and neither has NFL regular season experience.
In the linebacking corps, Buffalo will start lifetime reserve Mario Haggan next to rookie Paul Pozluszny and Angelo Crowell.
On the line, the Bills are left with just three ends, starters Aaron Schobel and Chris Kelsay, and backup Ryan Neill, who doubles as the long snapper.
It is suspected that the Bills will make some moves to shore up some depth in their defense.
Safeties Donovan Darius and Will Demps, both former NFL starters, were signed yesterday by the Dolphins and Texans, so their names are out of the mix.
Former starting safety Omar Stoutmire has been mentioned, as well as former Rams corner Dexter McCleon.
No matter what happens this week, Buffalo will be putting out a patchwork defense against a Pittsburgh attack that put up 34 points in week 1 against the Browns.
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