Three Underrated Bills' Defenders Who Can Take Advantage of Drake Maye's Struggles

Drake Maye is struggling, while several young Bills defenders are finding their stride. Could this be a recipe for a Bills statement win over New England on Sunday?

Aug 22, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Maxwell Hairston (31) warms up before the game | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Buffalo Bills defense stepped up last week against the Chargers, holding the Justin Herbert-led unit to just 16 points.

Meanwhile, Drake Maye has been struggling with ugly turnovers and drive-stalling sacks ever since New England went on a postseason run last year.

Through three weeks, several young Bills defenders have quietly been making an impact according to advanced analytics, meaning they could be the key to turning an important divisional game into a statement win for the Bills.

Bills linebacker Greg Rousseau celebrates his first half sack on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert with teammate Michael Hoecht during their game Sunday, September 27, 2026 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

CB Maxwell Hairston

Buffalo's 2025 first round pick had an up and down rookie season, missing six games due to injury but recording two INTs in the three games he did start for the Bills.

The Bills chose not to bring back Tre'Davious White, showing confidence in the sophomore CB's ability, and through three weeks, Hairston has shown that it was the right decision.

According to Next Gen Stats, Hairston has surrendered the second-lowest completion percentage while in coverage, at just 36.4%. This trails only former First-Team All Pro Trent McDuffie.

Maye has thrown 10 interceptions in his last seven games. With Christian Benford trending in the wrong direction for his availability on Sunday, Hairston could build on his strong start to the season by forcing a turnover.

Trent McDuffie has allowed a 26.7% completion percentage in coverage this season, the lowest of any cornerback to face at least 10 targets.

McDuffie has recorded seven passes defensed, the most among cornerbacks, while allowing just four receptions.#RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/Meaivcw2pt

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) October 1, 2026

DT DeWayne Carter

Carter has been a pleasant surprise along Buffalo's defensive line to start the season, and one stat from Tej Seth explains just how impressive he's been.

According to Sumer Sports, Carter ranks 10th in defensive impact per rush attempt at a +0.37. He's right behind some of the best interior defenders in the NFL like Leonard Williams, Jeffery Simmons, and Quinnen Williams.

The Patriots will be playing their third string right guard on Sunday, after losing Mike Onwenu and Greg Van Roten to injury. Furthermore, Maye has fumbled nine times in the last seven games, and Carter forced seven fumbles during his time at Duke (including four in 2024 which led the conference).

This could be the perfect recipe for Carter to have an impact beyond the advanced numbers, and record his first sack or turnover as a Bill.

Sep 27, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle DeWayne Carter (90) pressures Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half at New Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

OLB TJ Parker

If you look at the box score, Buffalo's first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft has had an underwhelming start to his rookie campaign. The Clemson product has played just 40 snaps so far this season, but the data suggests he's making the most of his opportunities.

According to PFF, Parker has the fifth-highest pass rush win rate among rookie edge defenders so far this season. This is an encouraging sign for the rookie, who's currently buried on Buffalo's depth chart behind Greg Rousseau, Bradley Chubb and Michael Hoecht but showing promise in his limited role.

Something to note is the small sample size of actual pass rush reps for Parker. In his 40 total snaps, only 22 have been pass rush snaps. Furthermore, among all players, he'd rank 74th out of 119 edge rushers in win rate.

An uptick in usage will show if Parker's promising start is simply an illusion created by a small sample size, but an intriguing matchup against the struggling Maye could provide the Bills and Parker with the perfect opportunity for the rookie.

Parker had no problem taking down the QB in college, recording 21.5 sacks at Clemson, including 11 in 2024. In his last seven games, Maye has taken 30 sacks, including three in each game to start 2026. Similar to Carter, Parker will have a chance to record his first sack as a pro on Sunday.

Cowboys may have found something special in Malachi Lawrence pic.twitter.com/xlojjoOCLN

— PFF (@PFF) October 3, 2026

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