Bills sign Hairston's replacement, make other moves ahead of Jaguars Wild Card game

The Bills signed a CB to their active roster while placing a defensive tackle on Injured Reserve days ahead of their opening-round playoff game.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) is unable to collect a deep pass as Buffalo Bills safety Micah Hyde (23) and Buffalo Bills cornerback Dane Jackson (30) defend in the second quarter during a Week 9 NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. | Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills signed Maxwell Hairston’s replacement, along with a few other roster moves, ahead of this weekend’s Wild Card matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Bills’ rookie cornerback sustained an ankle injury late during the team’s regular-season finale against the New York Jets and did not return to action. Then, during his Monday press conference, Head Coach Sean McDermott declared that Hairston was unlikely to play against the Jaguars.

That led Buffalo to promoting Dane Jackson from the team’s practice squad, signing him to the 53-man roster to help replace the lost services of Hairston this weekend.

Buffalo Bills cornerback Dane Jackson chats with a teammate on the bench during first half action against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Nov. 2, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

RELATED: Maxwell Hairston's injury takes disastrous turn after Bills Week 18 win over Jets

Filling in

Jackson has appeared in three games for the Bills this season, with his last time suiting up coming in Week 15 against the New England Patriots. During his brief time on the field this season, Jackson has played just three defensive snaps while being on the field for 38% of the team’s special teams snaps.

If he is tasked with filling in at CB in a big spot against the Jaguars’ high-powered pass offense, fans might want to hold their breath. However, Jackson does have experience playing within the Bills’ defensive scheme during a previous stint with the team from 2020 to 2023, a span in which he never played fewer than 45% of the defensive snaps during a single season.

Hairston had performed admirably since returning from a preseason knee injury in Week 8, recording a couple of interceptions and five passes defensed while playing 56% of the defensive snaps amid a two-man rotation with Tre’Davious White.

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (52) reacts after a play in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Other moves

The Bills also announced a few other moves on Wednesday, including placing defensive tackle Jordan Phillips on Injured Reserve. The move made way for Jackson's signing to the active roster. As a result, Phillips' season is over.

Phillips had not played since being injured against the Patriots before returning in Week 18 against the Jets, when he was injured again. During his time on the field this season, Phillips produced as a rotational piece of Buffalo’s banged-up defensive line. He recorded nine tackles, a sack and a pass deflection that resulted in a game-sealing interception against the Cincinnati Bengals through 11 games played.

Additionally, the Bills brought back quarterback Shane Buechele to the team’s practice squad, while also signing defensive back Darryl Porter Jr. to the practice squad. Buechele had previously departed for an opportunity with the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this season. Porter Jr. was with the team during the preseason before being released and later latching on with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad.

MORE: Bills get great news on Matt Prater's injury, have Plan B for Wild Card vs. Jaguars

Aug 23, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Shane Buechele (6) drops back to pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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