Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane is looking for a second-year defender to step up this coming season.
The Buffalo Bills are gearing up for what should be a fun 2026 season across the board.
Once again, Buffalo will be entering the year with a lot of hype, with many believing that they could be true Super Bowl contenders. Buffalo has fallen short of expectations in each of the past few seasons, but this roster seems to have more depth all around it.
This is especially true on the defensive side of the ball, with cornerback being a top position. Buffalo put priorities on this over the offseason, making sure that the roster was well stacked for the upcoming season.
But heading into the year, one player has been making real waves around the organization. This would be second-year player Maxwell Hairston.
Hairston is being listed as a starter for the Bills on the initial depth chart for the season, showing the belief that the team has in him. But specifically, Bills general manager Brandon Beane loves what Hairston brings to the table on defense.
“We have a lot of confidence in (Hairston),” Beane said. “I think IGB has done a really good job. If we didn’t have confidence in him, we’d just sit him down and throw IGB in. He’s a young player that’s gonna continue to push his way, and Max knows that he’ll have to play at a certain level, or there’s a young man here that’s ready to showcase kind of what he can do.”
The cornerback played in 11 games last season for Buffalo, registering two interceptions, 18 total tackles, and five pass deflections. Hairston did enough to earn the respect of the coaching staff, and the team is now looking to him to have a strong 2026 season.
Hairston has been dealing with a groin injury, but that hasn't derailed anything. Buffalo is hopeful to get the corner back sooner rather than later, with the team taking things day-by-day.
“I don’t really know at this point what we’d do,” Beane said. “I think we’re just kind of taking it one day, one week at a time. I wouldn’t want to put us in a box of saying we would or wouldn’t do. I think anything would be on the table. Whatever we think can help us win. If it’s a platoon, we’ll do it. If it’s just one guy, we will do that.”
Hopefully, Hairston can come back soon and give the Bills a glimpse into how he'll play this season. It seems that the Buffalo secondary has been built around him somewhat, and now there will be more pressure on his shoulders to succeed.
