The Buffalo Bills have changed things on their coaching staff, handing the reins to Joe Brady as head coach. He then brought in Jim Leonhard to be his defensive coordinator. With a new scheme, there will be several players who need to earn their spot in the starting lineup.
CB2 is currently open, making the battle between Maxwell Hairston and Davison Igbinosun something to watch. Hairston was nabbed in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, but the Bills weren't content, as they turned around and drafted Igbinosun in the second round this past draft.
ESPN's Ben Solak pointed out this is a competition to watch this summer in Buffalo.
"I did not have "early drafted cornerback" on my bingo card for the Bills, as I thought there was still enough hope for Hairston -- a first-round pick just one season ago -- that his starting spot would go unchallenged. But Buffalo took Igbinosun in the second round as insurance against Hairston's injury history and as a challenger for his reps opposite Christian Benford."
While Hairston will have an edge in that battle, it seems like he has the inside track to winning the job, as Leonhard gave him a vote of confidence.
Bills CB2 battle is one to keep an eye on this summer
Hairston's rookie season didn't go as planned. He dealt with a knee injury last summer that forced him to miss all of training camp and the first seven games of the season. And when he returned, his impact was a mixed bag.
In 11 games (three starts), he compiled 18 total tackles, five pass deflections, and two interceptions. On Pro Football Focus, he finished with a 64.3 overall grade (51st among 114 graded CBs) and a 68.0 coverage grade (34th among 114 graded CBs). His fit in Sean McDermott's system was questionable, which could have impacted his production, but the fact that Leonhard liked him in college is a bonus. But that doesn't mean he won the job.
The fact that Buffalo selected Igbinosun shows they believe he can be a nice fit in this defense. The biggest area where he needs improvement is cutting down on penalties, as he can get grabby at times. He finished with 18 flags over the last two years at Ohio State.
Nonetheless, Igbinosun is a lengthy corner at 6-foot-2. He excels with his physicality and looks comfortable when asked to play press man. He also sticks his nose in the run game while playing in 43 games over the last three seasons, highlighting his availability.
Hairston will enter the summer with the upper hand in the battle, but things can change on a fly. Most importantly, he needs to stay healthy, which he struggled with last year. In addition, Hairston needs to play his best ball, as Igbinosun is waiting in the wings and will give him a run for his money for the starting job.
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