ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills starting left tackle Demetrius Bell is out indefinitely with a right knee injury, opening the possibility for rookie guard Andy Levitre to start in the veteran's place Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Bills interim head coach Perry Fewell on Wednesday listed Bell as week to week, which is an upgrade after the team previously feared the injury might be season-ending. Fewell said Bell will not require surgery after he was hurt during a 41-17 loss to the Tennessee Titans last weekend.
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Levitre filled in for Bell against Tennessee and might have to do so again Sunday because Buffalo (3-6) is depleted at the position. Starting right tackle Jonathan Scott has been excused from practice after a death in his family, and Jamon Meredith missed last weekend's game because of a knee injury.
Meredith practiced Wednesday. Fewell said he had no timetable for when Scott will rejoin the team.
Levitre is a second-round draft pick who has started all nine games at left guard, but he did play tackle at Oregon State.
Earlier in the day, the Bills placed starting tight end Derek Fine on injured reserve after he aggravated a knee injury last weekend. Fine becomes the 11th Bills player -- and second tight end, joining Derek Schouman -- to be placed on the season-ending list this season.
A second-year pro, Fine had nine catches for 64 yards in eight games, including six starts.
Fine will be replaced by Joe Klopfenstein, whom the team signed Wednesday. A 2006 second-round draft pick, Klopfenstein spent three seasons with the St. Louis Rams before being released in September. He has 33 catches for 386 yards and two touchdowns in 48 career games.
Wide receivers Roscoe Parrish and Justin Jenkins didn't practice because of the flu. Fewell said both are considered day to day.
Buffalo also shuffled its practice squad by signing offensive lineman Christian Gaddis and placing wide receiver C.J. Hawthorne on the injured list.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
