It has been nearly a year since Buffalo Bills fans have seen Tyler Bass kick a football.The wait is almost over.Bass hasn't attempted a field goal during the first five practices of training camp at St. John Fisher University, an intriguing absence for a kicker trying to return after missing the entire 2025 season with hip and groin injuries.There is no setback, according to Bills special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers.Bass has been kicking behind the scenes. The Bills haven't reached the point in their training camp schedule when they want to work extensively on field goals.That changes Thursday.Rodgers said the Bills are scheduled to work on field-goal protection as a team for the third time in camp and the first time in pads."It hasn't worked out for us to be on the field quite yet," Rodgers said. "That'll happen later on this week and then again at the stadium. But I don't think he skipped steps."Bass last kicked in a game Aug. 23, 2025, when he made 3 of 4 field goals and both extra points in Buffalo's preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Prior to his injury, Bass had played in all 83 games since Buffalo drafted him in 2020.He had experienced pain during last year's training camp but tried to work through it. The discomfort returned after the Tampa Bay game and the Bills placed Bass on injured reserve before their season opener.He never returned.Bass eventually underwent surgery on his left hip/groin in December. Veteran Matt Prater handled the kicking duties for the entire season.Now Bass is healthy enough to kick. Fans just haven't seen it yet.Rodgers said that's by design though not because the Bills are deliberately holding Bass back."There's a finite number of things that we can get done on the field," Rodgers said.The Bills have prioritized special teams work such as kickoffs and punts during full-speed practice periods. Field-goal protection has instead been worked on during walkthroughs before the Bills put it to the test in pads.Thursday provides that opportunity.Then comes another important test.Bass is returning from surgery and returning to a home field he's never kicked in before.The Bills will hold their Blue & Red practice Saturday at new Highmark Stadium, giving Bass and Buffalo's other specialists an opportunity to begin learning the conditions inside their new home.Rodgers said the Bills plan to get their specialists into the stadium at different times of day to learn how the wind behaves.Bass has another request.Bring on the wind."Tyler was saying he's pushing for a real windy day just to get an idea of what it's going to be like in November or December," Rodgers said. "A real windy day to get in there in practice and get a feel for that stadium."The stadium isn't Bass' only new variable.He's working with two potential holders while Tommy Doman and Mitch Wishnowsky compete to become Buffalo's punter.Rodgers has tried to give Bass concentrated work with each rather than constantly switching holders during the same session."Today's Tommy Doman's day to hold, today's Mitch Wishnowsky's day to hold," Rodgers said. "And try to get both guys involved as much as we can."Rodgers wants the operation to look essentially identical for Bass regardless of which punter wins the job.Eventually, there will be a first real kick back."There was a first kick for him in college. There was a first kick for him in the NFL. There's a first kick throughout the season," Rodgers said. "Guys have ways of getting themselves mentally and physically ready for that."I'm just trying to coach the guys in front of him, make sure he's protected, snap is good, hold is good, those kinds of things and just let the natural talent take over when he puts his foot on the ball."That foot should finally be back on display soon.This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Bills fans haven't seen Tyler Bass kick in nearly a year. Here's when they will