PITTSFORD — Travis Clayton felt his labrum tear. He was trying to make a block in pass protection and his shoulder simply gave out.
Clayton’s rookie season ended before it really began.
It was the second day of padded practices at Buffalo Bills training camp and the second time Clayton ever wore football pads in his life. Growing up in Basingstoke, England, Clayton was so new to American football that teammates needed to show him how to put pads into his pants on the first day of practice.
Clayton played soccer, rowing and boxing before focusing on rugby. He tried out for the NFL Academy in 2019 in London, but wasn’t selected. He tried again in 2024 and was selected, making such an impression that he was one of 16 chosen for the league’s International Pathway Program.
Despite no actual football experience, the Bills picked him in the seventh round because he’s a physical freak. Clayton ran a 4.81-second 40-yard dash and had a 26-inch vertical leap at 6-foot-7, 301 pounds.
Placed on injured reserve at final cutdowns, Clayton rejoined the team two weeks after his surgery. For a player who didn’t realize the depth of an NFL playbook was so broad and wasn’t familiar with defensive fronts and gaps, sitting in meetings, watching and taking notes kept his first year with the Bills from being a total wash.
“I tried to look at it as a positive,” Clayton told GNN Sports after practice Sunday. “I think it kind of slowed the year down, slowed down remembering plays. So when I came into this year, everything’s felt at a much slower pace.”
Clayton wasn’t expected to make the final roster even if he was healthy. The Bills had plenty of offensive tackles and Clayton was still learning the game. Plus, teams who carry an IPPP player can keep an extra player on the roster throughout the season.
The Bills did it with running back Christian Wade for three seasons from 2019-2021. Putting Clayton on IR also allowed the Bills to transfer his IPPP exemption to defensive end Kinglsey Jonathan last year.
But for as much Clayton needed to learn in the classroom, he also needed reps. He needed to learn and get used to making football movements and how to block players using football movements. Even on the practice squad, Clayton would have that experience.
“There’s only so many mental reps that I can take,” Clayton said. “It was a bit overwhelming in my head, rather than actually doing the physical aspects of it.”
Clayton is completely healthy now and has participated in all offseason workouts. He’s also learning the game and is much more comfortable with the playbook. Although his thick accent sometimes requires offensive line coach Aaron Kromer and teammates to make him repeat a sentence, something that goes both ways.
One of the first players onto the practice field each day, Clayton is also one of the last to leave. Whether it’s working on steps with fellow offensive linemen or working with a defensive end on pass blocking, Clayton has made an attempt to soak up as much knowledge as he can before full pads go on Monday.
“It’s great for them to want to get me to get better,” Clayton said. “Sometimes being with the (third-string), you don’t get as many reps as being with the first or seconds. So it’s good to be able to get those reps at the end of the day.”
Practice notes
Right tackle Spencer Brown (back), receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (leg strain) and center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger (calf) remain on the physically unable to perform list. Tight end Dawson Knox is still on the non-football injury list with a hamstring injury.
Linebacker Terrel Bernard and receiver Curtis Samuel also didn’t practice Sunday with hamstring injuries. Linebacker Dorian Williams (right calf) did not participate for the second consecutive practice, while defensive end A.J. Epenesa (right ankle) returned to practice after missing Friday. Cornerback Taron Johnson (vet rest) and receiver Elijah Moore (general leg soreness) also didn’t practice.
Receiver Kaden Prather injured his knee during practice and was hobbled while standing on the sideline. After being released the day before camp, receiver Kelly Akharaiyi was re-signed and David White was placed on the reserve/retired list.
And after injuring his right ankle on the final play of practice, receiver Tyrell Shavers was taken off on a cart. A play after first-round pick Maxwell Hairston knocked a pass from Shavers in the end zone, Shavers caught a touchdown against Hairston.
As Shavers came down with the ball, Hairston raked it loose, causing Shavers to tumble to the turf clutching his leg. The play didn’t seem malicious, but guard Alec Anderson had some brief words of Hairston, letting him know what he thought of the play.
• Keon Coleman had a big day, starting by out-muscling rookie cornerback Dorian Strong on a sideline fade. Strong grabbed a chunk of Coleman’s jersey, but the second-year receiver still caught a pass he took into the end zone. Coleman also made a catch in front of Tre’Davious White, turning up field and making a cut to beat safety Taylor Rapp for a touchdown.
• Coleman also out-maneuvered cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram to catch a back-shoulder fade from Josh Allen for a touchdown. Ingram returned the favor on the next play, knocking a pass away from Coleman on a similar throw. Ingram also undercut an underthrown pass from Mike White to tight end Zach Davidson for interception in the end zone.
• Kicker Tyler Bass went 4 of 8 on field goal attempts after going 5-for-5 Wednesday. Bass was kicking in the rain and his misses were all from 43 yards or farther. He did cap the day on a high note by knocking through a 50-yarder.
• With Bernard sidelined, Baylon Spector got most of the first-team reps at middle linebacker for the second consecutive practice. Joe Andreessen also got some snaps as the defense rotated liberally.
• Cam Lewis was the first-team slot cornerback with Johnson resting. Ingram also got some action in that spot.
• Ryan Van Demark was the first player at right tackle in place of Brown. But Tylan Grable rotated in just as he has all of training camp thus far.
The Bills return to practice at 9:45 a.m. Monday.