The Buffalo Bills will be eager to get back on the field in Week 8 after enjoying some time off during their bye week in Week 7. That’s because after a 4-0 start, the Bills have lost their two most recent games to the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, resulting in them losing their grip atop the AFC East.
Getting a week off should help Buffalo reset and get healthy, and it appears the downtime was beneficial for rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston. On Wednesday, the Bills opened Hairston’s 21-day practice window as he attempts to get himself activated from injured reserve, and after his first practice, it’s clear the former first-round pick is ready to make his NFL debut.
Maxwell Hairston Closing in on Making NFL Debut with Bills
Buffalo selected Hairston with the No. 30 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft with the hope that he could come in and immediately earn a role in their secondary. A right LCL sprain he suffered over the summer hindered those plans, though, and Hairston ended up getting placed on injured reserve before the start of the season.
Without Hairston, the Bills have been forced to rely more on the veteran Tre’Davious White through their first six games, and that hasn’t exactly worked out well. Opposing quarterbacks are completing 70% of their passes when White is the closest man in coverage, and they also have a passer rating of 100.6 on those same throws. Simply put, those numbers aren’t very good.
Getting Hairston back could help when it comes to lightening White’s load, and while he still has some hurdles he has to clear before getting back on the field, a return to practice is always a good sign. On Wednesday, Hairston revealed that he’s thrilled to have taken this big step towards getting back into game action and making his NFL debut.
“It felt good,” Hairston said after his first practice back with the Bills. “It’s been a long time coming, so I was excited to get back out there with my teammates, my brothers, and just go out there and practice fast, practice urgent, and just have fun again.”
Will Maxwell Hairston Play in Week 8?
GettyMaxwell Hairston of the Buffalo Bills looks on prior to the NFL Preseason
It’s been a while since Hairston was on the football field in any capacity, so it’s going to take him some time to get back up to speed. The good news is that he has three weeks to get himself fully healthy, so the Bills don’t have to rush him back into action. With that in mind, it seems unlikely that Hairston will make his NFL debut in Week 8.
If things go according to plan, though, Hairston could have a shot of making his NFL debut in Week 9, when the Bills take on the Kansas City Chiefs in a highly anticipated matchup. First, the team will simply look to get back in the win column in Week 8 when they take on the Carolina Panthers. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon.
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