The Buffalo Bills' defense this season has been a liability. It's not just the running game; it's the pass defense as well. The Bills' secondary has really struggled, and it would not be a surprise if the Bills made some moves by the trade deadline to try to fix things.

For this Bills defense, one of the more prominent stories behind why they've struggled so much this year is the continued struggles of first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston.

The 2025 first-rounder was benched in Week 5, which, as ESPN's Bill Barnwell called out, could be the first sign that Hairston is a total bust for the Bills.

Maxwell Hairston might be a total bust for Bills after Week 5 benching

"The Bills have said the right things publicly, but actions speak louder than words," Barnwell writes. "Against the Rams on Monday, Hairston's snap share cratered with the return of Christian Benford."

Even though David Igbinosun was meant to fill in for Benford while the cornerback missed time, when Benford returned, it was Hairston who hit the bench.

As Barnwell put it, "The reckoning might have already come for Hairston," as the Bills' first-round cornerback was benched in Week 5 and hasn't played well when he has seen the field.

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He allowed two touchdowns in Week 4 and didn't speak to the media afterwards, which clearly irked the Bills, leading to Hairston apologizing a day later.

That off-field mistake, combined with his on-field struggles and this recent Week 5 decision from the Bills, has the 2025 first-round cornerback on bust watch already.

Year 1 already was worrying, but so far in 2026, things are going even worse. Even though he's playing for the Bills, it's in limited capacity, and it's not with a lot of high-profile production.

Unfortunately, as Barnwell alluded to, it might already be over with Hairston. It might seem early to call it quits on a first-rounder, but that's how disastrous things have gone for the 2025 Round 1 pick. Hairston might be a bust already.

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