The Buffalo Bills are seeing some important progress from first-round pick Maxwell Hairston as he works to return from a knee injury, but it may not be enough to get him onto the field for the team’s first game.
Hairston went down with a non-contact injury at the end of July and has been out of practice since then, with no clarity on when he could return. Bills head coach Sean McDermott shared an update on the rookie cornerback this week and gave an ominous hint about his immediate future.
Maxwell Hairston Not Close to Returning
Speaking to reporters after practice on Tuesday, McDermott said Hairston is still “a ways away” from returning to the field. The Bills coach added that they’re not sure exactly when the first-round pick will be able to play again, a bad sign given that the season opener is now just a few weeks away.
âI get the vibe that we are moving in the right direction, thereâs just not a lot of clarity on the back half of it,â McDermott said.
Though there were initially some fears that Hairston may have suffered a season-ending torn ACL, he was ultimately diagnosed with an LCL sprain that was expected to keep him out until at least mid-August.
McDermott’s update this week could put that timeframe out of reach, with Hairston not showing any signs that he is ready to return.
Bills Add More Help at Cornerback
With Hairston out indefinitely, the Bills brought in a bit of depth at cornerback by signing former LSU cornerback Zy Alexander this week. As SI.com’s Randy Gurzi noted, Alexander had 11 passes defensed and four interceptions while at LSU, finishing his college career with 13 total interceptions across two colleges.
Alexander had a short stint with the Seattle Seahawks before being waived and finding his way to the Bills.
“The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Alexander was expected to be drafted, but didnât hear his name called,” Gurzi wrote. “He was originally signed by the Seattle Seahawks but was released in late July.”
If Hairston still has weeks to go on his rehab, the team could choose to put him on injured reserve to start the season and use the roster spot on a temporary replacement. Rasul Douglas, who started 15 games for the Bills last season before hitting free agency, could be a candidate to return.
Reporter Josina Anderson noted that Douglas turned down an offer to sign with the Miami Dolphins.
âIâm also told free agent cornerback Rasul Douglas didnât move on an offer from the Miami Dolphins Thursday. Douglas continues to field interest from multiple teams, per league source,â Anderson wrote on X.
Reporter Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald noted in July that the Dolphins wanted to sign Douglas before their training camp started and could still pull the trigger on a deal.
âThe Dolphins have maintained contact with Bills free agent cornerback Rasul Douglas, who rejected a Miami offer in May,â Jackson reported. âHe remains a possibility.â
In the immediate term, the Bills would likely turn to returning veteran Tre’Davious White to start at cornerback alongside Christian Benford.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Sean McDermott Shares Bad News on Top Bills Rookie appeared first on Heavy Sports.