Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins remains optimistic that he will be able to practice during training camp following offseason foot surgery, but he acknowledged Saturday that the team might not allow him to return to the field until the start of the regular season.
"You never know," Watkins told ESPN when asked if the Bills' medical staff would allow him to practice early in training camp. "Right now I feel good, but I got to go back and train and rehab. Hopefully it feels good when I run and everything like that. I haven't ran in three or four weeks. Hopefully I'll feel good about it and I'll be on the field in training camp."
Watkins spoke to ESPN during a charity bowling event in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He had told TSN following an event in Toronto earlier this month that he will "definitely be available" for training camp and "might sit out two or three days" after having surgery in April to repair a broken bone in his left foot.
A source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter in May that Watkins would miss training camp and the preseason but would be ready to play in the regular-season opener Sept. 11 in Baltimore.
"I ain't got nothing to say about that, really," Watkins said Saturday. "You never know. Be very skeptical about it. Hopefully I'll be back [for camp]. If I'm not, then cool. Get ready for the first game."
Bills coach Rex Ryan said June 16 that it was "too early to tell" when Watkins would return to the field.
"We will definitely be smart with him also, but like I said, I am sure he is going to get some work [in camp]," Ryan said. "It is just we don't have a definitive date."
ESPN Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure contributed to this report.