The Buffalo Bills made three roster moves ahead of their Sunday matchup with the Carolina Panthers, but the biggest one was activating rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston from injured reserve. The team
also elevated two veterans from its practice squad: safety Jordan Poyer and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips.
Hairston, 22, was Buffalo’s first-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. The speedy corner ran a blazing 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, and his speed will be a welcome addition to the Buffalo defensive secondary. Hairston suffered a knee injury in training camp, hurting the LCL in his left knee. The team opened his 21-day practice window on October 20.
In Hairston’s three-year college career playing for the Kentucky Wildcats, he totaled 87 tackles, six interceptions, ten pass breakups, and three touchdowns across three seasons. He also forced two fumbles and had one quarterback sack. His best seaosn came in his sophomore year, where he totaled 66 tackles, two tackles for loss, and five interceptions across 13 games.
Poyer, 34, and Phillips, 33, are both longtime Bills who have had multiple stints with the team. Poyer is being elevated from the practice squad for the second time. He played in Buffalo’s last game, a 24-14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. He totaled 18 defensive snaps, four special teams snaps, and one tackle in the game. Phillips is on his third and final practice squad elevation for the season, so any further playing time will require the Bills to sign him to the active roster. He appeared in the Bills’ 31-19 victory over the New Orleans Saints as well as that loss to the Falcons. He has three tackles on 43 defensive snaps.
Prior to these announcements, the Bills had two open roster spots. Now, the team has just one with Hairston slotting in off injured reserve. The Bills have placed three players on injured reserve over the last three weeks, as defensive tackle T.J. Sanders (knee) and safeties Damar Hamlin (pectoral) and Taylor Rapp (knee) are all off the 53-man roster. They also released linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo before re-signing him to their practice squad. Buffalo has filled three of those four vacant roster spots, as defensive end Michael Hoecht and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi returned from suspension this week, and Hairston returned from injured reserve.
