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A league source confirmed Wednesday to The Buffalo News that Hairston suffered a lateral collateral ligament, or LCL, sprain in his right knee, and it's too soon to determine a timeline for his return to the field. NFL Network was the first to report that Hairston avoided a serious injury. The Bills' first practice of Week 1 is exactly five weeks from Wednesday. 

Missing valuable practice reps will impact Hairston's development in the interim. The University of Kentucky product needs to be on the field to learn coach Sean McDermott's defense and adjust to playing cornerback in the NFL. The Bills want to see Hairston tackle effectively and improve his technique against bigger, more physical receivers who are nuanced route runners.

His absence will open the door for Tre'Davious White to earn one of the starting spots at cornerback. White has rotated with Hairston on the Bills' first-team defense, a competition that looked like a stalemate prior to the rookie's injury.

White, 30, has not started more than six games in a season since 2021 because of injuries. The 2017 first-round draft pick tore an ACL in November 2021, and he tore an Achilles in October 2023. The latter convinced the Bills to cut White prior to the 2024 season to clear cap space. He caught on with the Los Angeles Rams, but he lost his starting role and eventually got moved to the Baltimore Ravens. The two-time Pro Bowler was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2019. 

The job is White's to lose, but he'll face competition. The Bills also brought back Dane Jackson, who spent last season with the Carolina Panthers, and general manager Brandon Beane used a sixth-round draft pick on Dorian Strong.

Virginia Tech trusted Strong to shadow the other team's top receiver, and he started 25 consecutive games over his final two seasons with the Hokies. Strong has shown flashes of promise in camp, especially during the first two padded practices. He will need to be a contributor on special teams to separate himself from others who are vying for a spot on the 53-man roster.

Jackson has more familiarity with McDermott's defense. The Bills had Jackson play 82% of their defensive snaps in 2022, and his usage decreased in 2023 before he left for Carolina as a free agent. 

Christian Benford is the Bills' top corner, and Taron Johnson is their starter at nickel. Behind Johnson, Buffalo has Cam Lewis and rookie Jordan Hancock. Their other outside cornerback options are Ja'Marcus Ingram, Te'Cory Couch, Brandon Codrington and Daequan Hardy. Even though Hairston avoided a serious injury, it's possible Beane will look to add an experienced cornerback to his roster. 

There are several options on the market, though Buffalo isn't the only team to suffer a loss at the position this week. Former Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas remains unsigned, along with Stephon Gilmore, Kendall Fuller, Daryl Worley, Jalen Mills, Cam Sutton and Asante Samuel Jr. Douglas was outstanding for the Bills in 2023 after he arrived in a trade from the Green Bay Packers, but he had a disappointing 2024 season. 

The Bills return to practice Thursday at St. John Fisher University, and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich is scheduled to speak to reporters before the players take the field.