LB Pat Thomas was released by Bills with leg injury

Linebacker Pat Thomas has been missing most of the Buffalo Bills training camp and unable to compete for a backup job because of a nagging lower leg injury, which also became of the reasons for his being released by the Bills.

The four-year NFL player spent last season with the Kansas City chiefs and played 12 games. A one-year contract brought him to Buffalo in March, but he missed part of the team’s spring minicamps and most of training camp. Before the announcement was made, Thomas had been cleared for this week’s practice.

The move was made before practice Wednesday, with left for the Bills exhibition finale against the Detroit Lions. Starting defensive end Chris Kelsay did not appear on the practice field and was ruled out for Thursday night’s game, too, but for a different reason-he will be with daughter who is having surgery in Chicago.