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PITTSFORD — Robert Royal is in uncharted territory.
In his first two seasons with the Buffalo Bills, he was the unquestioned starter at tight end. But the past offseason Royal received a not-so-subtle message that his hold on the job may be in jeopardy.
Second-year pro Derek Schouman is mounting a serious challenge in training camp. The Bills also added Derek Fine in the draft and signed veteran free agent Courtney Anderson.
So for the first time since joining the Bills, Royal is in a fight to remain the No. 1 tight end. And that’s just fine with him.
“That’s a part of this business,” Royal said after an afternoon practice at St. John Fisher College. “We’ve got to go out there and compete and every year you’ve always got somebody that’s trying to bump you, so I’m all for it. I’m a team guy . . . whatever it takes [to win]. I’m just out there trying to get myself to be the best that I can be.”
Royal, 30, is entering his seventh NFL season. He was far from his best in 2007 when a nagging knee problem hampered his performance and forced him to have offseason surgery.
Royal’s rehabilitation prevented him from participating in team drills during the offseason. That opened the door for Schouman, who looked good in the spring and has split most of the first-team snaps with Royal during the first week of training camp.
According to the Bills, Royal’s reduced work load has nothing to do with his health.
“We haven’t put a lot of restrictions on him,” head coach Dick Jauron said. “I don’t think we overload our players or we certainly try not to in camp. We try to get what we think is just right in terms of the repetitions with the time we have to get ready for the regular season.”
Since Royal didn’t practice in the spring, he didn’t get any on-field work in the new offense installed by coordinator Turk Schonert. That left Royal a little behind the rest of the tight ends heading into training camp.
But he is showing signs of catching up. He is still viewed as the favorite in the tight end competition, especially because he is such an excellent blocker. But the Bills want someone who can make plays in the passing game as well.
In his first two seasons with the Buffalo Bills, he was the unquestioned starter at tight end. But the past offseason Royal received a not-so-subtle message that his hold on the job may be in jeopardy.
Second-year pro Derek Schouman is mounting a serious challenge in training camp. The Bills also added Derek Fine in the draft and signed veteran free agent Courtney Anderson.
So for the first time since joining the Bills, Royal is in a fight to remain the No. 1 tight end. And that’s just fine with him.
“That’s a part of this business,” Royal said after an afternoon practice at St. John Fisher College. “We’ve got to go out there and compete and every year you’ve always got somebody that’s trying to bump you, so I’m all for it. I’m a team guy . . . whatever it takes [to win]. I’m just out there trying to get myself to be the best that I can be.”
Royal, 30, is entering his seventh NFL season. He was far from his best in 2007 when a nagging knee problem hampered his performance and forced him to have offseason surgery.
Royal’s rehabilitation prevented him from participating in team drills during the offseason. That opened the door for Schouman, who looked good in the spring and has split most of the first-team snaps with Royal during the first week of training camp.
According to the Bills, Royal’s reduced work load has nothing to do with his health.
“We haven’t put a lot of restrictions on him,” head coach Dick Jauron said. “I don’t think we overload our players or we certainly try not to in camp. We try to get what we think is just right in terms of the repetitions with the time we have to get ready for the regular season.”
Since Royal didn’t practice in the spring, he didn’t get any on-field work in the new offense installed by coordinator Turk Schonert. That left Royal a little behind the rest of the tight ends heading into training camp.
But he is showing signs of catching up. He is still viewed as the favorite in the tight end competition, especially because he is such an excellent blocker. But the Bills want someone who can make plays in the passing game as well.
" ~ yordad
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