5 Observations from the first day of Buffalo Bills training camp

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (WKBW) — Buffalo Bills training camp has officially begun, and the first day of practice is a thing of the past. On Wednesday, at St. John Fisher University, the Bills had their first day of work as they began a two-and-a-half-week stay in Rochester.

Our observations from the first day of practice:

James Cook arrives and participates

The first piece of training camp news came before the team even hit the field. Head coach Sean McDermott told us Pro Bowl running back James Cook was present and planned to fully participate. Cook told reporters in June that he was planning on being with his team at camp, but we didn’t know the extent to which he would practice.

If the first day is any indication, Cook will be a full-go despite his displeasure with his current contract. But will the two sides reach an agreement on a new deal? General Manager Brandon Beane said the two sides are keeping an open dialogue.

"James (Cook) fits Buffalo, but sometimes you can't get on the same page and sometimes guys have left here that we really wanted," Beane said about Cook's contract. "But I can tell you that I’m hopeful next year, when we're sitting here at training camp, you’ll see James Cook is out there practicing still representing the red, white, and blue."

You can watch Beane's full press conference below.

Rookies flash all day

When looking at my notes from practice, I immediately noticed the quick hits I had written about three of the Bills' first four draft picks.

Maxwell Hairston made a great play to showcase his speed and break up a pass intended for KJ Hamler in the back of the end zone. Fellow cornerback Tre’Davious White immediately ran over to Hairston and celebrated the play.

Second-round pick T.J. Sanders also flashed during some 11-on-11 work, blowing up a play and quickly getting to the quarterback. And on one particular rep, fourth-round pick Deone Walker looked like he took on three guys and pushed them backward right into Mitch Trubisky. Walker was limited during rookie minicamp and mandatory minicamp, and those restrictions have been lifted, which is a good sign.

These are just a handful of plays, but they’re positive flashes for players the Bills will count on this season.

Getting on the same page

It was encouraging to see how much time Josh Allen and Joshua Palmer were spending with each other at practice on Wednesday. The newly added wide receiver brings the Bills offense someone they hope can create separation and make plays in the red zone.

"Obviously, we didn't get that many reps in during OTAs," Allen said. "But he's a very cerebral guy, he understands what he's doing, very good at his craft. I trust what he says and what he's telling me. It's going to be a really good relationship, in my opinion."

You can watch Allen's full press conference below.

After practice had ended, Allen and Palmer continued to chat about their work together in the red zone. Palmer should be a big piece of the Bills offense this season, and while it may not seem like it, these camp reps will be valuable.

Kincaid continues to trend in the right direction

During mandatory minicamp, I came away impressed by Dalton Kincaid's performance, especially on the final day of practice. He carried that strong start to the summer into the first day of training camp with a pair of touchdowns during red zone work.

"I love Dalton like a brother. He's a special human being, and I do believe he's a special player and I believe he has so much potential left," Allen said. "We're just here to try to unlock that and use his abilities to the best of our offense. I have supreme faith in him."

"You know the ball that landed on the turf in Kansas City that eats at him," Beane said about Kincaid. "He's a competitor and the thing about Dalton is he wants that opportunity again and no one is going to not try and give him that opportunity."

Injuries popping up

Dawson Knox and Spencer Brown both missed practice on Wednesday. Knox tweaked his hamstring last week and Brown had a “flare up” with a lingering back injury.

Beane and McDermott wouldn’t give specific timelines on either player, but the team said they are being overly cautious.

Sedrick Van Pran-Granger and Laviska Shenault also missed Wednesday’s practice.

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