BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo Bills 2025 first-round pick Maxwell Hairston will continue to miss time with his right lateral collateral ligament sprain as the team placed him on injured reserve with a designation to return on Tuesday.
The cornerback will miss at minimum the first four games of the season but will be eligible to return after that point.
Hairston suffered the injury during individual drills at training camp practice July 29 and has not returned to practicing since. The rookie was in a competition for the No. 2 cornerback role with veteran Tre'Davious White before the injury. White left Thursday's practice early with a lower leg injury but is on the 53-man roster.
The Bills shared that they were undecided if Hairston would end up on injured reserve leading up to Tuesday when active rosters around the NFL were required to go down to 53 players. Hairston's placement on injured reserve opened opportunities for players such as Ja'Marcus Ingram and rookie Dorian Strong.
"Still a ways away," coach Sean McDermott said on Hairston's ramp-up last week. "Just from what I heard ... from [head athletic trainer Nate Breske] is really trying to still get a feel for exactly what we're dealing with in terms of when we can start to push a little bit more without affecting the healing of it. ... I get the vibe that we are moving in the right direction."
Offensive lineman Tylan Grable was also placed on injured reserve with a designation to return. He had been in concussion protocol.
