NFL

Santonio Holmes looks ready to return to Jets

It looks like Tone Time has finally arrived.

The Jets expect wide receiver Santonio Holmes to return this week for their game with the Bills after missing the past five games due to a hamstring injury.

“I think he’ll play,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “He looks good to me. Like I’ve said, I certainly hope so.”

Holmes participated in practice Monday more than he has over the last few weeks. He took part in team drills and did not spend any time in the trainers’ area while the media was watching.

The Jets’ passing offense has suffered without Holmes in the lineup. Their best passing game was the last full game Holmes played — the first time they met the Bills, when they totaled 331 yards passing.

The Jets expect to be without wide receiver Jeremy Kerley, who suffered a dislocated elbow against the Saints on Nov. 3. Kerley was not on the practice field at all while the media was watching.

“It doesn’t look good. He’s still in a sling or something,” Ryan said. “Again, I’m not going to rule him out right now, but it certainly doesn’t look good.”

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Wide receiver David Nelson spent his first three seasons with the Bills before the team let him go in February, deciding not to tender him a contract offer. Now, Nelson returns to Buffalo to face his former team for the first time.

“It’s a special place in my heart and it’s something that’s going to be extremely emotional and personal for me going back,” Nelson said. “At the same time, the front office made a decision not to re-sign me. That’s kind of been my motivation for the past seven, eight, nine months since that happened. That’s what still is driving me. To return back there and to have that continually in the back of my head is going to be exciting.”

Nelson joined the Jets on Oct. 2 and has become a big part of their offense. Unlike Chris Ivory, who said playing the Saints was not a big deal, Nelson fully admits this game carries a lot of emotion for him. He said he learned the Bills were not re-signing him on Twitter, and clearly holds some ill will toward the front office.

Nelson also said the NFL rescinded the $7,875 fine he received for his hit on Adam “Pacman” Jones in last month’s game against the Bengals.

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Ryan spent part of the bye week in New Orleans, visiting his brother Rob, the Saints defensive coordinator. Ryan said he wanted to get some tips from Rob on the Bills. The Saints played Buffalo three weeks ago.

“Trying to get intel on Buffalo a little more. They played them,” Ryan said. “OK, let’s face it. I had the gumbo, I had jambalaya, I had all that stuff. It still goes down, by the way, with the lap band.”

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The Bills may be without their top two wide receivers. Stevie Johnson said Monday he “didn’t know” if he would be able to play after suffering a groin injury. Rookie Robert Woods missed Sunday’s game with the Steelers with a high-ankle sprain and coach Doug Marrone said he may be out again this week.