The Bills have become so decimated with injuries that they were forced to do the unthinkable: Clear out the locker of their fallen tight end, Kevin Everett, who suffered a severe spinal cord injury in the season opener and is at home in Houston recovering.
A week ago, Bills head coach Dick Jauron said he felt it was important for the team that Everett’s locker remain intact. But with so many players injured (seven on injured reserve) and new ones coming in, the team needed the space and removed Everett’s belongings.
“We’ve got a lot of people coming in and out . . . it doesn’t have anything to do with not remembering Kevin,” Jauron said yesterday.
Last week, Jauron said, “Kevin knows that he’s a part of this team and everybody else on the team knows it, too. It’s the way it is and the way it’ll be. It definitely serves a purpose to keep him right in front of us in that locker room. And we’ll keep it that way.”
Everett’s locker had been kept intact since he was hurt against Denver. His helmet hung from one hook, his practice jersey from another, and a staff member made sure to place the team’s weekly schedule on Everett’s stool every Monday, including two days ago.
That changed yesterday, with offensive lineman Brad Butler taking over what had been Everett’s stall.
“At some point, with the amount of players, we had to do something because of the numbers, but we’ll never forget about Kevin,” TE Robert Royal said.
Jets LB Jonathan Vilma, who played with Everett for two years at the University of Miami, said yesterday he’s called Everett to offer words of encouragement.
“We were kind of close,” Vilma said. “I gave him a call to wish him luck. I just hope he keeps getting better and better. I’m not even worried about whether he can play football again. I just want him to be able to do normal, everyday things and be able to come back, rehab and be OK.”
Chad Pennington said, “Those guys (the Bills) have experienced the roller coaster of emotions, and that’s tough to deal with as a team. From their standpoint, they haven’t quit and given up and asked why. They just keep playing hard.”
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Pennington, still rehabbing his sprained right ankle, was limited in practice, as were WR Jerricho Cotchery (shoulder), CB Andre Dyson (foot), G Brandon Moore (shoulder), NT Dewayne Robertson (knee) and S Eric Smith (thigh). None of the injuries is serious. . . . For the Bills, CB Terrence McGee, one of the best kickoff returners in the NFL, is nursing sore ribs, but should play Sunday. “Yeah, he’s hurt, but always expect their guys to play,” said Jets LB David Bowens, who plays on kick coverage. . . . As the Jets began their preparations for the Bills, the always creative practice DJ spun Bob Marley‘s reggae hit “Buffalo Soldier.”