Orchard Park, N.Y. — Seantrel Henderson started all 16 games at right tackle for the Buffalo Bills as a rookie, but Rex Ryan isn't handing Henderson anything entering his second NFL season.

Throughout OTAs, Henderson was working behind fellow second-year tackle Cyrus Kouandjio. Kouandjio continued to take all of the first-team reps at right tackle after Henderson missed the first day of mandatory minicamp because of travel issues. Ryan admitted that Kouandjio is ahead of Henderson at this point.

"Well, I think the work that Cyrus has done overall in the offseason probably puts him ahead right now," Ryan said. "But again, the race isn't over by a long shot, so we'll see, Seantrel has got to show that he can handle it, you know, mentally, physically all of it and then get out here. Obviously he's a guy that started 16 games last year so I think competition is going to be good, and you know, Kouandjio has got to show that when the pads come on that he can handle the physical aspect of the game."

After practice Thursday, Henderson, who wasn't made available to media this week, walked back to the locker room with offensive line coach Aaron Kromer, who was in his ear the entire way. Ryan insists Henderson's demotion wasn't disciplinary.

"No, he was in there some with the twos," Ryan said. "He missed the first day, you know with the travel and things. But it is his responsibility to be here and he understands that."

Meanwhile, Kouandjio, who didn't play a single game in 2014, is off on the right foot with the coaching staff, even if it is tough to judge the offensive line without pads on.

"I think he's making a lot of progress. That's the number one thing. Guy is coming in every day, showing up number one, showing up on time, working hard and showing improvement, and that's what he's done," Bills offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Wednesday.

Kouandjio has enjoyed working with Kromer as well.

"You can tell he was one of those guys that did his homework," Kouandjio said. "He knows what he's doing out there. He watches a lot of film to come up with a lot of technique things he comes up with. And I think that's the most important thing for me, coach Kromer, because I trust him. I trust his techniques. I just go with it."

That's been enough to get Kouandjio ahead, and Henderson has some ground to make up once training camp opens in late July.