Buffalo Bills rookie CB Maxwell Hairston designated to return from IR. What's it mean?

The Bills announced on Monday that the team will open the first-year CB 's 21-day window to return from Injured Reserve.

Bills rookie defensive back Maxwell Hairston high-fives fans as he runs onto the field during day five of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University Monday, July 28, 2025 in Pittsford, NY. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills delivered some good news on Monday afternoon, when the team announced via the NFL's transaction wire that rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston has been designated to return from Injured Reserve.

Hairston sustained a knee injury early on during training camp and was later placed on IR before the start of the regular season, on Tuesday, Aug. 26, which required him to miss at least the team’s first four games of the year.

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Bills rookie defensive back Maxwell Hairston heads towards the field during the opening day of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University Wednesday, July 23, 2025 in Pittsford. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 No. 30 overall pick was eligible to return before the team’s Week 5 matchup with the New England Patriots, but the team elected to wait until after its bye week to do so. Hairston will now have 21 days before the team must elevate him to the active roster. If the team elects not to activate him by the end of the 21-day period, he must remain on IR for the remainder of the season.

The Bills used their first pick in the 2025 draft to select Hairston with hopes he would be able to come in and help provide a boost for the team at the cornerback position. But due to injury, his progress was stalled, leading Buffalo to insert veteran Tre’Davious White as a starter opposite Christian Benford. In Hairston’s absence, the Bills have struggled in the back-end, particularly in recent weeks. Buffalo has allowed opposing passers to throw for at least 233 yards in each of the past two games.

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Jun 11, 2025; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston (31) and Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford (47) during Minicamp at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

It’s doubtful that Hairston will be ready to play this week against the Carolina Panthers. But with the Bills in significant need of help in the secondary, it would not be a surprise to see the rookie, at the very least, platooning with White as soon as Week 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs. With that said, it would appear as if a more appropriate target for Hairston’s return would be Week 10 against the lowly Miami Dolphins, which would offer a much softer landing for Hairston in his first career NFL game.

Either way, this is exciting news for the Bills and their fans alike, as the team is set to receive a load of reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball in the near future.

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