The Bills will be taking a couple of their training camp practices on the road against NFL competition this summer. The club announced they will be conducting joint practices with the Carolina Panthers in Spartanburg, South Carolina on Aug. 13 and 14 leading up to their preseason game in Charlotte on Aug. 16.
The Panthers hold their training camp at Wofford College, just over the state line in South Carolina. The two teams will hold a pair of practice sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday of their preseason game week before meeting in Buffalo's second preseason game Friday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Practices will begin at 9:25 am.
For general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott, they felt the time was right to add a dose of different competition to their training camp schedule.
"I think change of scenery is a benefit," said Beane. "These guys will have been going at each other all spring. We'll be about two weeks in with camp and will have played a preseason game, so to go against a new opponent will be an opportunity for our units to go against theirs. Their strengths on offense are different from our strengths, so it's something different for our defense to see. It's just a good opportunity to compete against guys who you haven't seen all the time and don't know all your moves."
Beane also said there was a desire to get their players in some heat down south in case they had any early season games in a warmer climate than Orchard Park in September.
"Sometimes we play some September games that are hot," he said. "It can be quite humid in New Jersey when we play there in Week 1 and 2. It usually is hotter there than here in terms of humidity."
There will be one practice session each over the two days at Wofford, and the strong prior relationship between Panthers head coach Ron Rivera and McDermott as well as Beane with Panthers general manager Marty Hurney made the arrangement an easy one.
"We had talks with Carolina early on and the established relationships we have with that organization helps. We're going to care about their players and they're going to care about ours. (Ron) Rivera is not going to allow melees to happen at practice, and we know Sean won't either. So we'll have a professional practice. Tempers might flare, but it won't be anything crazy that takes the fun out of them. So we should be able to hit the goals we're trying to meet with these."
As the Bills continue 2019 OTAs, check out photos of each of the 91 players on the team.
David Sills V - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
John Brown - Buffalo Bills, May 15, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Stephen Hauschka - Buffalo Bills, May 15, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Matt Barkley - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Tyree Jackson - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Cory Carter - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Andre Roberts Buffalo Bills Free Agent Visit New Era Field Orchard Park, NY March 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Corey Bojorquez - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Cole Beasley - Buffalo Bills, May 15, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Zay Jones - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Victor Bolden Jr - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Ray-Ray McCloud III - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Da'Mari Scott - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Robert Foster - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills, May 15, 2019.
Photo by Sara Schmidle
Chase McLaughlin - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Isaiah McKenzie - Buffalo Bills, May 15, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Rafael Bush - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Jordan Poyer - Buffalo Bills, April 30, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Marcus Murphy - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Micah Hyde - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Taron Johnson - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy (25). Buffalo Bills vs Los Angeles Chargers at New Era Field, September 16, 2018. Photo by Bill Wippert
E.J. Gaines - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Tre'Davious White - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Frank Gore - Buffalo Bills take part in voluntary off-season at One Bills Drive. April 15, 2019. Photo by Bill Wippert
RB T.J. Yeldon (No. 29)
Lafayette Pitts - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Dean Marlowe - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Senorise Perry - Buffalo Bills take part in voluntary off-season at One Bills Drive. April 15, 2019. Photo by Bill Wippert
Siran Neal - Buffalo Bills, April 30, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Kevin Johnson - Buffalo Bills, April 30, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Denzel Rice - Buffalo Bills, April 30, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Ryan Lewis - Buffalo Bills, April 30, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Levi Wallace - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Devin Singletary - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Maurice Alexander - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Patrick DiMarco - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Mik'Quan Deane - Buffalo Bills. Photo by Bill Wippert
Deon Lacey - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Christian Wade - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Jaquon Johnson - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Cameron Lewis - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Juwan Foggie - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Tremaine Edmunds - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Vosean Joseph - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Julian Stanford - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Corey Thompson - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Tyrel Dodson - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Eddie Yarbrough - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Jerry Hughes - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Mike Love - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Lorenzo Alexander - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Matt Milano - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Eli Harold - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Mitch Morse - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Spencer Long - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Vladimir Ducasse - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
L.T. Walton - Buffalo Bills.
Garrett McGhin - Buffalo Bills, May 15, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Ike Boettger - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019.
Photo by Sara Schmidle
Russell Bodine #66. Buffalo Bills 2018 player photos. Photo by Bill Wippert. May 2, 2018.
Quinton Spain - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Conor McDermott - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Reid Ferguson - Buffalo Bills, May 15, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Cody Ford - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Jeremiah Sirles - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Dion Dawkins - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
LaAdrian Waddle - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Wyatt Teller - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Jon Feliciano - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Ty Nsekhe - Buffalo Bills, May 1, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
De'Ondre Wesley - Buffalo Bills. Photo by Bill Wippert.
Jason Croom - Buffalo Bills, April 30, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Tyler Kroft - Buffalo Bills, April 30, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Duke Williams - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Nate Becker - Buffalo Bills.
Lee Smith - Buffalo Bills, May 15, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Nicholas Easley - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Cam Phillips - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle
Dawson Knox - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Thomas Sweeney - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Shaq Lawson - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Ed Oliver - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Darryl Johnson Jr - Buffalo Bills on May 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Trent Murphy - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Kyle Peko - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Robert Thomas - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
Jordan Phillips - Buffalo Bills, May 14, 2019.
Photo by Sara Schmidle
Star Lotulelei, DT (No. 98)
Harrison Phillips - Buffalo Bills, May 8, 2019. Photo by Sara Schmidle.
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The Bills and Panthers left their joint practice agreement open ended beyond this summer, so there are no plans at this point to make it a reciprocal arrangement where the Panthers would come to St. John Fisher the following summer.
Beane admitted that joint practices weren't really the aim in year one under coach McDermott, but now the timing seemed right to work with another NFL club in the summer.
"I think in year one it's definitely all about yourself and establishing a foundation and not focusing on anything else," he said. "We talked about it in year two, but we just felt we weren't quite there and it wasn't the right situation to do it. We talked about it, but never felt we had the right timing or the right team. We did this for a lot of reasons. Familiarity helps in how they run their ship and how we run ours."
Upon returning from Carolina, the Bills will resume their preseason preparations at One Bills Drive for the remainder of the preseason.
