Bills rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston leaves practice with injury

This better not be a sign of how this season is going to go


Injuries are piling up for the Buffalo Bills, and on Tuesday at training camp, it got worse.

First-round draft pick Maxwell Hairston sustained an injury early in the day and did not return.

During individual drills, the rookie cornerback was going through pass-rush drills. Cornerback Dane Jackson said after practice that it was a noncontact injury and called it a “freak little trip-up” for Hairston.

Hairston was tended to by head athletic trainer Nate Breske, who appeared to be working on his right leg. Hairston was able to stand up with help, and teammates Christian Benford and Tre’Davious White came over to comfort him.

“That’s my brother,” Benford said. “I’m sick about that.”

Hairston was able to walk off with assistance to the medical tent.

Nickel cornerback Taron Johnson said there was a prayer after practice for Hairston.

“I don’t even know what it is yet,” Johnson said. “It’s always tough to see. Our prayers are up. We prayed for him after practice today, so hopefully he’s doing fine.”

Hairston had been splitting first-team reps with White, opposite starter Benford.

“He’s been doing a great job in camp,” Jackson said.

After moving on this offseason from Rasul Douglas, the Bills entered training camp with a cornerback room made up of Hairston, Benford, White, Jackson, Johnson, Cam Lewis, Jordan Hancock, Dorian Strong, Ja’Marcus Ingram, Te’Cory Couch, Daequan Hardy, Daryl Porter Jr. and Brandon Codrington. Douglas remains a free agent.

As for Hairston, teammates are rooting for the best possible outcome while understanding the nature of the sport.

“It is a part of the game, and it’s tough, but just try to keep his head up as much as we can,” Johnson said. “Hopefully he has a long career, so hopefully this is a minor bump in the road.”
 

Source: Bills rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston suffered LCL sprain​


Maxwell Hairston's noncontact injury during the sixth day of Buffalo Bills training camp was not the devastating setback it appeared to be when the rookie cornerback writhed in pain on the field Tuesday at St. John Fisher University.

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Buffalo Bills defender Maxwell Hairston (31) during an NFL football training camp practice in Pittsford on Friday, July 25, 2025.
Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News


A league source confirmed Wednesday to The Buffalo News that Hairston suffered a lateral collateral ligament, or LCL, sprain in his right knee, and it's too soon to determine a timeline for his return to the field. NFL Network was the first to report that Hairston avoided a serious injury. The Bills' first practice of Week 1 is exactly five weeks from Wednesday.

Missing valuable practice reps will impact Hairston's development in the interim. The University of Kentucky product needs to be on the field to learn coach Sean McDermott's defense and adjust to playing cornerback in the NFL. The Bills want to see Hairston tackle effectively and improve his technique against bigger, more physical receivers who are nuanced route runners.

His absence will open the door for Tre'Davious White to earn one of the starting spots at cornerback. White has rotated with Hairston on the Bills' first-team defense, a competition that looked like a stalemate prior to the rookie's injury.

White, 30, has not started more than six games in a season since 2021 because of injuries. The 2017 first-round draft pick tore an ACL in November 2021, and he tore an Achilles in October 2023. The latter convinced the Bills to cut White prior to the 2024 season to clear cap space. He caught on with the Los Angeles Rams, but he lost his starting role and eventually got moved to the Baltimore Ravens. The two-time Pro Bowler was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2019.

The job is White's to lose, but he'll face competition. The Bills also brought back Dane Jackson, who spent last season with the Carolina Panthers, and general manager Brandon Beane used a sixth-round draft pick on Dorian Strong.

Virginia Tech trusted Strong to shadow the other team's top receiver, and he started 25 consecutive games over his final two seasons with the Hokies. Strong has shown flashes of promise in camp, especially during the first two padded practices. He will need to be a contributor on special teams to separate himself from others who are vying for a spot on the 53-man roster.

Jackson has more familiarity with McDermott's defense. The Bills had Jackson play 82% of their defensive snaps in 2022, and his usage decreased in 2023 before he left for Carolina as a free agent.

Christian Benford is the Bills' top corner, and Taron Johnson is their starter at nickel. Behind Johnson, Buffalo has Cam Lewis and rookie Jordan Hancock. Their other outside cornerback options are Ja'Marcus Ingram, Te'Cory Couch, Brandon Codrington and Daequan Hardy. Even though Hairston avoided a serious injury, it's possible Beane will look to add an experienced cornerback to his roster.

There are several options on the market, though Buffalo isn't the only team to suffer a loss at the position this week. Former Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas remains unsigned, along with Stephon Gilmore, Kendall Fuller, Daryl Worley, Jalen Mills, Cam Sutton and Asante Samuel Jr. Douglas was outstanding for the Bills in 2023 after he arrived in a trade from the Green Bay Packers, but he had a disappointing 2024 season.

The Bills return to practice Thursday at St. John Fisher University, and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich is scheduled to speak to reporters before the players take the field.
 

Expert on Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston's LCL injury: 'Pretty rare'​


Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston’s isolated right lateral collateral ligament sprain sustained in Tuesday’s practice is a “pretty rare” injury, according to an orthopedic surgeon.

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Bills defensive back Maxwell Hairston’s injury is “pretty rare,” according to an orthopedic surgeon.
Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News


“Usually when people sprain their LCL, it’s in conjunction with an ACL or PCL tear,” said Clint Soppe, who works at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles and consults for the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer.

Hairston, the Bills’ first-round pick in April, sustained the noncontact injury and underwent an MRI to reveal the sprain and, fortunately, no ACL damage. A league source confirmed the injury to The Buffalo News on Wednesday.

The LCL controls the outside of the knee and connects the femur and tibia bones.

“Basically, it keeps the knee in place,” Soppe said during a phone interview. “It’s important for stability and side-to-side motion. Mostly when we see noncontact knee injuries, it’s the ACL – the LCL is a rare ligament to sprain.”

Had Hairston tore his LCL, his season would have been over. Soppe said a traditional LCL tear recovery is 6-12 months post-surgery. Last October, Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice tore his LCL and missed the remainder of the season.

The Bills’ medical staff examined Hairston on the practice field. Are they able to quickly rule out ACL damage?
“Usually (a pretty good idea),” Soppe said. “You can do some physical exams to give us a good idea, but it’s not always perfect. That’s why the MRI is so critical.”

Asked for a timetable for Hairston’s without the benefit of viewing the MRI, Soppe said: “I would say somewhere between three to six weeks. Sometimes, there is bone bruising involved with these injuries and it takes (up to six weeks).”

The Bills open the season against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 7.

The return-to-play plan for Hairston, Soppe said, will start with non- and low-impact exercises like the stationary bike to “work on range of motion and strengthening and it doesn’t put stress on the LCL, the bone and the joint.” After that, once the swelling goes down, Hairston will advance to running and cutting and eventually full practice work.

Upon being cleared to practice, Soppe said it is possible Hairston will wear a sleeve over the knee, but not a brace.
 
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