Bills fans were hoping this would be the season that the tight end position emerged from a long slumber, becoming a viable force in their team's offense again.

Hold that thought.

In a 24-hour span, Buffalo saw its tight end depth chart cut in half when star-crossed Derek Schouman suffered a knee injury in a preseason victory over Indianapolis and Shawn Nelson was slapped with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Schouman started 12 games for the Bills in 2008 and was perhaps their best blocking tight end. Nelson, a promising fourth-round pick in '09, is their best pass catcher at the position and was expected to blossom in Chan Gailey's offense.

Heading into the team's third preseason game Saturday against Cincinnati, however, the team's only available tight ends are Jonathan Stupar and free agent Michael Matthews, leaving GM Buddy Nix looking to sign some help.

Schouman will miss 3-6 weeks, Gailey said. Last year, Schouman missed 14 games after ACL surgery.

"The guy can't get a break. He can't stay on the field and he's not getting enough reps," Gailey said.

Nelson's problems are self-inflicted. In a statement he issued to the media, the former Southern Miss star implied that his suspension did not involve the use of illegal substances under the law, just under the NFL's policy, which covers a long list of performance enhancing drugs.

"On behalf of my team, my family, my church family, the great city of Buffalo and my fans, I want to say I apologize," Nelson said. "It's not nothing bad, nothing illegal that happened. There's rumors that it was dealing with some different type of things that myself was not involved in. I'm not that guy. I'm a guy of character, a guy who works hard."

Nelson is eligible to return on Oct. 4. He can practice and play in the remaining preseason games, although he is currently nursing a minor muscle pull.

"I spoke with some of my teammates earlier today and told them what was really going on," Nelson said. "I spoke to my coaches and my GM. We are all on the same page."

Nelson plans to work with noted trainer Tom Shaw in Orlando, Fla., during his month away. His suspension will cost him a reported $92,941 in salary.

Nelson, who runs a 4.5 40-yard dash, making him a true downfield threat, started 12 games as a rookie and caught 17 passes for 156 yards and a TD.

Stupar, 6-3, 254, had already risen to No. 1 on the depth chart due to his versatility and consistent play even before Schouman's latest injury and Nelson's suspension.

"You always are trying to mentally tell yourself that you belong, especially as a free agent, not being drafted," said the 2008 undrafted rookie out of Virginia. "I think a lot of (former) free agents are like that."

Stupar is mindful of the opportunity staring him in the face this summer.

"Shawn's got his own situation that he's going through right now," he said. "I'm trying to be supportive as a teammate with what's going on, but the NFL's all about opportunities. I'm going to try to make the best of my opportunity that I have. I'm sure Mike (Matthews) is doing the same thing with Derek (Schouman's) injury, too. It's one of those things where it happens and you have to put the next foot forward and go from there."

Gailey expressed complete faith in Stupar and what he brings to the table.

"Stup is a very solid, consistent football player," Gailey said. "He can't go in there and knock people off the ball. He can't run down the field and run a 4.5 (in the 40-yard dash). But he's a good route-runner. He's an intelligent player. He fights every snap. He's more than an adequate blocker. He's done a good job so far. He's been one of the pleasant surprises of camp."

CAMP CALENDAR
The road portion of training camp ends Tuesday, Aug. 24, at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y. The team will relocate to its regular facilities in Orchard Park for the remainder of the preseason. The cut to 75 players is Aug. 31 and the cut to 53 is on Sept. 4.

Copyright (C) 2010 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.