The Buffalo Bills saw rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston go down with a non-contact injury at practice on Tuesday, a potentially massive blow for the biggest investment into the secondary this offseason.
While the Bills did not provide an update on the severity of Hairston’s injury as of Tuesday evening, one teammate’s remarks are starting to draw concern among fans that he could miss a significant stretch.
Bills Star: ‘You Don’t Even Pray That on Your Worst Enemies’
Hairston went down with a non-contact injury during drills at training camp on Tuesday, which veteran teammate Dane Jackson called a “freak trip-up.” The team’s medical staff attended to Hairston for a considerable period before he was guided slowly off the field.
While the worst-case scenario would be a torn ACL that would likely take Hairston out for the season, the Bills have yet to address the injury and diagnose its severity. Teammates who addressed Hairston spoke in serious tones, including starting cornerback Christian Benford who sounded emotional as he spoke to reporters about the injury.
“I was salty, I was upset,” Benford said. “That’s somebody who’s a pure-hearted kid. That’s someone you work with off the field so much and you put so much time in with them and then they fall like that. Something happening to him … you never want that to happen. You don’t even pray that on your worst enemies. I’m sick about that.”
“I was salty. I was upset because that’s somebody that’s a pure hearted kid”
Jackson added that teammates prayed for Hairston while he was being evaluated by the team’s medical staff and offered a hopeful tone about the injury.
“We said a prayer for him and we (tried to) uplift him,” Jackson said. “Hope to see him when we get in here and find out everything that’s going on with him and (hope for) a speedy recovery for him too. He’s been doing a great job at camp as well.”
Bills Have High Hopes for First-Rounder
The Bills made some big investments into their defense after the unit fell flat in the playoffs for several consecutive seasons, including last year’s AFC Championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The team spent the majority of its draft picks on defense, starting with Hairston in the first round.
The Bills also brought back veterans Jackson and Tre’Davious White, who have been competing with Hairston for the other starting spot opposite Benford.
If Hairston’s injury keeps him out for a long stretch, the Bills could tap White as a starter and put Ja’Marcus Ingram into a backup role, as he did last season. The team has also left the door open for veteran Rasul Douglas to return. Douglas hit free agency after starting 15 games for the Bills last season, but remains unsigned and turned down two contract offers from the Miami Dolphins.
As reporter Josina Anderson noted, Douglas has gotten some interest from a few teams but has not yet picked his next NFL destination.
“I’m also told free agent cornerback Rasul Douglas didn’t move on an offer from the Miami Dolphins Thursday. Douglas continues to field interest from multiple teams, per league source,” Anderson wrote on X.
Bills Cornerback Gives Dire Update on Maxwell Hairston’s Injury