[jayrad01]

PITTSFORD - The Buffalo Bills are entertaining former New York Jets starting safety Jim Leonhard.

Leonhard, coming back from a knee injury suffered in December, was on the sidelines at St. John Fisher College on Thursday watching Bills practice. No signing was believed to be imminent. However, Leonhard's visit with the Bills was to continue into Friday. Leonhard had not yet taken a physical with Bills doctors as of Thursday evening.

The Bills could use more depth at safety. The only player with experience behind starters Jairus Byrd and George Wilson is second-year man Da'Norris Searcy. Most teams keep four safeties on the roster.

Leonhard started his career in Buffalo in 2006 as an undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin. He played in 38 games, starting seven, under coach Dick Jauron. The Bills decided not to re-sign him 2008 because they had a young draftee, Ko Simpson, ahead of him on the depth chart. That was a decision Bills fans have lamented ever since.

In 2008, Leonhard went on to start 16 games, counting playoffs, for the Ravens. He moved to the Jets in 2009 and started 43 games for New York, counting playoffs, over the next three seasons. Leonhard suffered a torn patellar tendon in his knee last Dec. 11. Given his offseason rehabilitation, the Jets decided not to bring him back and opted instead to sign other safeties in free agency. The patellar tendon is the same one that Bills corner Terrence McGee tore last December.