"From the time he was drafted in April, Kelvin Sheppard has been viewed as a future starter at inside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills.

The future could come as soon as Oct. 30, when the Bills return from their bye week to face the Washington Redskins in Toronto.

The heir apparent to veteran Andra Davis has gotten more work in the past two weeks, and Bills coach Chan Gailey confirmed this week that's likely to continue.

"He's sitting right there ready to take over that role," Gailey said. "Whether he starts or not, I don't know, but he's going to get the majority of the snaps."

Sheppard was on the Bills' radar even before they picked him in April in the third round out of LSU. Gailey and his staff coached him at the Senior Bowl in January, and got an up-close look at the way he practiced and prepared for the game.

Nonetheless, he was slow to assimilate into the Bills' defense, first because of the lockout, then because of a hamstring injury that cost him most of training camp.

"You can't simulate being out on the field when you're injured, but from a mental aspect I wouldn't say I was ever behind," Sheppard said."