IRVING, Texas – Tight end Scott Chandler alternated between the Cowboys' 53-man roster and the practice squad in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, he's making the most of his opportunities with the Buffalo Bills.
Chandler has 18 catches this season. Six of them are touchdowns, tying him for second-most in the league behind Calvin Johnson (11).
"He's very smart about how to play the game. He's a huge target," Bills head coach Chan Gailey said. "He runs the routes the way we ask him to run them and he's in the right spot. When you have a big target that can catch the ball you can put it in a lot of places and he'll come down with it.
"I don't think that I envisioned that, to be honest with you, coming into the season. I hoped he might be a weapon done there but he's turned out to be even better than I thought."
A Dallas native who starred at powerhouse Southlake High, Chandler never quite cracked a crowded tight end depth chart that still includes Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett and John Phillips.
Now the Cowboys' safeties and linebackers will have to contend with him in the red zone.
"You're managing rosters. You're trying to make the best decisions for your whole football team," head coach Jason Garrett said. "It does not surprise me that he's been productive. He was a productive player in college and when he had opportunities here he was productive as well."
