The Buffalo Bills have been waiting nearly two months to see first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston return to the field, and now the team must decide on the timing of his comeback.
Hairston suffered a leg injury during training camp that initially looked serious, but doctors later determined it would not end his season. He was placed on injured reserve at the start of the year and is now eligible to return, though the Bills have not given a clear timeline.
Maxwell Hairston Increasing His Workload
Hairston’s minimum four-week stay on injured reserve ended after Buffalo’s win over the New Orleans Saints. The Bills can either keep him there longer or open his three-week practice window. A video from WGRZ’s Jon Scott recently showed Hairston working with trainers, moving laterally and backpedaling while wearing a knee brace.
Head coach Sean McDermott said there’s no definite update yet, explaining that the medical staff continues to evaluate players who began the season on injured reserve. He emphasized that the team must balance players’ health with the corresponding roster moves needed to activate them. McDermott also noted Hairston may require extra practice time to make up for what he missed in camp and preseason.
Bills Already Making Changes at Cornerback
While waiting on Hairston, the Bills have shuffled their secondary. Tre’Davious White and Christian Benford have started, but rookie Dorian Strong has also seen opportunities. McDermott rotated White out for parts of the Saints game to give Strong snaps.
Strong, a sixth-round pick, already started Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens in place of White. Analysts, including USA Today’s Justin Melo, believe the Bills will continue finding ways to use Strong until Hairston is cleared to return.
The Bills must now weigh Hairston’s recovery progress, roster considerations, and the development of their other young corners before making a final decision on when their top draft pick will debut.
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