ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills wide receiver James Hardy returned to practice on a limited basis Wednesday night for the first time in 15 days, leaving it unclear whether or not he'll play in this weekend's preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bills coach Chan Gailey said Hardy didn't work extensively as the team wanted to ease him back into practice after the receiver sustained an undisclosed injury during a training-camp session Aug. 10.
Noting that Hardy informed him he felt good following practice, Gailey said the receiver will see additional practice time Thursday to determine whether he could play Saturday.
Hardy termed it a "good possibility" that he'll play. Although not disclosing the nature of the injury, he said that he's still experiencing some pain,
"I just started to go out there and get a little running in to see if there was any pain," Hardy said. "For the most part, I feel the pain that is there I'll be able to deal with. So, hopefully, I'll be out there on Saturday."
Hardy participated in all individual receivers drills during the portion of practice open to reporters as the Bills returned to their Orchard Park headquarters one day after closing training camp in suburban Rochester.
The injury was the latest setback for Buffalo's 2008 second-round draft pick, who missed all but the final two games last season while recovering from left knee surgery. And Hardy has plenty of catching up to do to resume his bid to win the No. 2 job opposite Lee Evans after the latest injury forced him to miss 11 practices and the Bills' two first preseason games.
"Each and every day, you have to show something, and I feel the days that I was out there, I showed huge improvements," Hardy said. "Now it's just time to go out there and do it on game day. And I'm looking forward to it."
Rookie wide receiver Donald Jones was absent for a second day. Gailey had said Tuesday that Jones was excused because of a personal situation.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
