The Buffalo Bills are done with the preseason after finishing it off with a 28-27 comeback win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the real roster churn is about to begin. With three exhibition games in the books, the coaching staff now has to trim things down, sort out the final 53, and start locking in the depth chart on both sides of the ball.
That process is taking place under a defense that already looks different under Jim Leonhard, and one of the more unexpected summer developments has been the battle at CB2. What looked like it might be a straightforward answer turned into a real conversation after the Bills traded up in the second round for Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun.
The move surprised plenty of fans, especially because Buffalo had already used a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Maxwell Hairston with the idea that he could become the starter opposite Christian Benford. But Hairston’s start to his career was delayed by a knee injury, keeping him out until Week 8, and even after that, his year had its share of ups and downs.
Igbinosun, meanwhile, has made a strong impression since arriving. His physical style and edge have stood out in practice and in preseason action, and that has only made the competition more interesting.
Hairston’s summer has gone the other way. His preseason was uneven, and against the Steelers he was beaten for a touchdown by rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard.
Still, the postgame comments from Joe Brady seemed to settle at least one part of the debate. Asked after the preseason finale whether there was really a CB2 competition involving Hairston, Brady said Hairston is the starter, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic.
That leaves the Bills in an odd spot. Igbinosun has arguably been the better corner this summer, but Hairston appears to be getting another shot to hold the job from the opening snap. And because he was a first-round pick, Buffalo may simply be determined to make it work.
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Bills Final Roster Debate Just Got A Lot More Interesting
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For a roster still being sorted into its final form, the move opens another spot for Buffalo to work with as the 53-man deadline comes into focus. It also says something about how tight the competition was at the back end of the receiver group, where reputation and experience were not enough to overcome a quiet summer. [Read more 🡒]