Sept. 11, 2009

Nick Hennessey had a feeling he was close to earning a spot with the Buffalo Bills.

But as he drove from his hotel room near the airport to see John Guy at the Bills' stadium office in Orchard Park, N.Y., Hennessey didn't know what to think.

Guy is the nine-year vice president of pro personnel for the Bills, and his phone call to Hennessey came on the final day before NFL teams had to cut their rosters down to the mandatory 53-player limit.

"I said to myself, 'It won't be the 53-man roster, but maybe the (8-man) practice squad'," Hennessey said, recalling the moment. "I figured that was my best case scenario."

The 290-pound left tackle from Danvers, Phillips Andover Academy and Colgate University wasn't a nervous wreck -- but close to it. "It's about 25 minutes to the stadium, but it wasn't a fun ride in," he said. "I had no visions of grandeur."

Then Guy delivered the bad news.

"Sorry," Guy told Hennessey, "but we're putting you on waivers."

Hennessey never had time to put his head down,

"But if nobody claims you, the staff has decided to place you on our practice squad." Guy quickly added.

Don't think that didn't send a emotional charge through Hennessey.

For the complete article by Bill Kipouras of the Salem (Mass.) News click here