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Bills Sign Round 1 CB Maxwell Hairston

June 13th, 2025 at 11:33am CST by Sam Robinson

Only three unsigned first-round picks now remain. The Bills checked theirs off the list Friday, agreeing to terms with Maxwell Hairston on his four-year rookie deal.

Hairston’s agreement leaves only Travis Hunter, Jahdae Barron and Shemar Stewart without contracts from Round 1. Hunter is not expected to sign for a bit, while Stewart is embroiled in a strange stalemate with the Bengals over guarantee language.

[RELATED: Bills Discussed Jaire Alexander Trade With Packers]

The Bills, who also signed fourth-round defensive tackle (and ex-Hairston Kentucky teammate) Deone Walker, have only one pick left to sign. Second-round DT T.J. Sanders remains out of contract, but the second round has served as a sticking point as guarantee value for that draft sector continues to climb. While Walker figures to see a depth role in 2025, Hairston will face pressure to become an immediate starter for a Super Bowl contender.

Projected to become a Bill at No. 30 in Ely Allen’s PFR mock, Hairston indeed ended up in Western New York. He is the Bills’ third Round 1 CB investment since 2017, following Tre’Davious White and Kaiir Elam. Hairston brings elite speed to Buffalo’s secondary. The Kentucky product blazed to a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the Combine — this year’s fastest clocking — to cement his status as a first-round-level talent. The Bills opted to leave Rasul Douglas in free agency and draft Hairston, adding a rookie-contract complementary piece following their Christian Benford extension.

A Kentucky-record three pick-sixes placed Hairston on the map in 2023, but he followed up the five-INT campaign with only one interception and five passes defensed in an abbreviated 2024. Though, that singular pick was also returned for a score. Hairston’s ball skills draw the most attention, but he works with a keen awareness of how the defense around him is unfolding. A shoulder injury caused him to miss five games last season; the Bills will bet on the 5-foot-11 corner anyway, doing so with a track record of injuries and draft misfires taking place at the position during the Sean McDermott-Brandon Beane era.

White saw injuries blunt his All-Pro momentum, with his ACL and Achilles tears costing the Bills dearly in narrow playoff losses to the Chiefs — as Buffalo CB availability has become a defining component in this series — and eventually leading him out of town as a cap casualty. White, however, is back (on a one-year, $3MM deal). Elam represented one of the biggest first-round busts in Bills history; the team admitted a mistake on him by dealing the 2022 draftee to Dallas in a late-round pick-swap agreement. The Chiefs picked on Elam, thrust into Buffalo’s lineup because of another ill-timed Benford playoff injury, in their AFC championship game win.

The Bills’ latest postseason loss to their nemesis undoubtedly influenced the Hairston investment, and the AFC East powerhouse’s CB depth chart points to the speedy rookie setting up camp atop the depth chart alongside Benford and slot bastion Taron Johnson. The Bills will have Hairston signed through 2028 and will hold a fifth-year option on the contract for 2029.

AFC East Notes: Bills, Wilkins, Hilton, Pats

June 13th, 2025 at 11:25am CST by Sam Robinson

Formerly a GM candidate, Lake Dawson has not come up on the PFR pages since 2019. But the former NFL wide receiver had remained a key presence in the Bills‘ front office. The longtime Brandon Beane lieutenant, however, is no longer with the franchise. Dawson joined Oklahoma’s staff under new Sooners GM Jim Nagy. The SEC program announced Dawson’s addition as senior assistant GM recently. Dawson, 53, played for the Chiefs from 1994-97, being a regular starter during the back half of Marty Schottenheimer‘s tenure. He has nearly 25 years’ worth of experience on the personnel side, moving from the Seahawks to the Titans to the Browns to the Bills. The Panthers twice interviewed Dawson for their GM job before rehiring Marty Hurney in 2018. Dawson turned down an offer to become the Dolphins’ GM in 2014. The former Tennessee VP of player personnel had been Buffalo’s assistant director of college scouting, but he will follow Joe Schoen in leaving the team for another opportunity.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

Bills Engaged In Jaire Alexander Trade Talks; CB Drawing Immediate Interest

June 10th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jaire Alexander‘s Packers tenure officially came to an end yesterday. Green Bay’s decision to move on came after multiple attempts at working out a trade fell through.

One of the teams which pursued an Alexander trade was the Bills. Buffalo and Green Bay discussed a swap this offseason, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports. After no agreement was reached, the Bills moved on to other CB options. Given the nature of Alexander’s contract, it is fair to assume finances represented a barrier to a deal being worked out in this case.

Cornerback was seen as a priority for the Bills this spring, one in which Christian Benford was among the many recent draftees who received a long-term extension. Buffalo’s first-round pick was used on Maxwell Hairston, and the Kentucky product will presumably join Benford and Taron Johnson as a starter in 2025. Alexander would have provided Buffalo with a high-profile boundary cover man, but his injuries (10 missed games in each of the past two years) were obviously a source of hesitation on the part of suitors.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes the Packers attempted to trade Alexander in March, something the team openly discussed prior to the start of free agency. After those efforts failed to yield a deal, per Breer, Green Bay’s attempts were repeated during the draft. With no offers deemed sufficient being made at either juncture, the team’s attention shifted back to the possibility of a pay cut arrangement.

Deep into the offseason, it became clear there was not a restructure to be worked out, however. As a result, Alexander now finds himself on the market in June. In the immediate aftermath of his release, it was reported a strong market would likely exist for the Pro Bowler’s services; it appears that is indeed the case.

Six teams immediately checked in once Alexander was released, The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson reports. The number of suitors for the 28-year-old should increase now that parting with draft capital and taking on the final two years of his contract are no longer necessary. Per Schultz, it is unclear if the Bills are among the teams which will make a free agent push. Given their prior interest, though, it would certainly not come as a surprise if that were to be the case.

Alexander was attached to a $21MM-per-year pact prior to his release, but a less lucrative commitment no doubt awaits him this summer. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for him to choose his next destination as he weighs a number of possibilities.

Bills Sign LB Shaq Thompson

June 10th, 2025 at 9:36pm CST by Adam La Rose

Shaq Thompson has lined up his next NFL gig. The veteran linebacker signed a one-year deal with the Bills on Tuesday, per a team announcement.

Thompson was informed by the Panthers in February he would not be re-signed. That decision ended his 10-year run with the franchise and left him in need of joining a new team for the first time in his career. The 31-year-old will now spend the summer looking to carve out a role in Buffalo.

Immediately after learning his time in Carolina was over, Thompson made it clear he had no intention of retiring. Since that point, no clear links had emerged to known suitors until today’s news. It comes as no surprise, however, that the Bills have elected to bring the former first-rounder into the fold.

During the first two years of Thompson’s career (2015-16), he worked under then-Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott. The latter has been Buffalo’s head coach since 2017, so this deal represents a reunion between the two. Thompson will look to return to his previous form by avoiding the injuries he has dealt with over the past two years. Over that span, he has played just six total games.

Thompson produced a stretch of four consecutive seasons with 104 tackles or more prior to his injury-shortened campaigns, and he if can manage to remain healthy he could offer Buffalo a first-team option at the linebacker spot. More realistically, the 112-game starter could provide experienced depth at the second level of the team’s defense. The Bills have Terrel Bernard, who inked a $42MM extension this offseason, in place as their highest-paid linebacker.

Matt Milano and Dorian Williams will also return from last year’s team, and they will be expected to handle key roles in 2025. Nonetheless, Thompson could carve out a spot on the depth chart during training camp. His acclimation to his new team will begin this week during Buffalo’s minicamp.

The Bills entered Tuesday with a league-low $1.69MM in cap space, leaving them short on finances to make free agent additions. Thompson was on track for a pact at or near the veteran minimum from any suitor, though, and that will no doubt be the case with this Buffalo agreement.

RB James Cook Attends Bills Minicamp

June 10th, 2025 at 6:05pm CST by Ben Levine

James Cook is still pushing for a new contract, but the Bills running back was in attendance for the first day of mandatory practices. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Cook was present at Bills minicamp today.

[RELATED: Bills, James Cook Failed To Make Progress During Extension Talks]

Cook was absent from voluntary OTAs as he continued to seek an extension. We recently heard that the two sides had indeed discussed a new deal, but they were never particularly close on finalizing an agreement. As a result, there was some speculation that the running back could skip out on the team’s mandatory minicamp. Cook also isn’t expected to stage a hold-in, as the RB told reporters that he intends to practice with his teammates (per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones).

Instead, Cook showed up, with the former second-round pick pointedly noting that he didn’t want to get fined.

“I like my money. Definitely do,” Cook said (via Jones). “So, that’s why I’m here.”

After finishing tied for the league lead in rushing TDs (16) in 2024, Cook is currently on track to play out the final season of his rookie contract in 2025. The 25-year-old is reportedly seeking a contract that would pay him around $15MM annually; that AAV would be tied with Derrick Henry for third at the position (behind Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey).

While the Bills appeared willing to extend the running back on their terms, it sounds like the front office is wary of handing out a contract that flirts with the top of the position. GM Brandon Beane even implied that he’s prepared to wait out the coming season before deciding on a big contract for Cook, and it seems increasingly likely that the RB will play out the 2025 season as an impending free agent. Cook wouldn’t have been the first player in this scenario to skip out on practices, and coach Sean McDermott respected the player’s decision to report.

“I credit James,” McDermott said (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg). “Business is business. At the end of the day, I know he loves being around this team and the guys in the locker room and he loves to play football.

“So, I respect his decision to be here and be amongst the team and get some work in today, and we’re looking forward to that.”

As Getzenberg notes, three other members of the Bills’ 2022 rookie class have earned new deals (including wide receiver Khalil Shakir, linebacker Terrel Bernard, and cornerback Christian Benford). As a result, Cook could naturally have some hard feelings towards the organization. Fortunately, the RB understands that it’s a business.

“I don’t look at it [as a distraction],” Cook said (via Getzenberg). “I just be where my feet are every day and just want to play football. That’s what I’m here to do.”

Bills CB Taron Johnson Underwent Offseason Shoulder Surgery; TE Dalton Kincaid Played Through Injuries To Both Knees In 2024

June 8th, 2025 at 7:43am CST by Rory Parks

Bills nickel corner Taron Johnson recently revealed that he underwent shoulder surgery this offseason. Per Katherine Fitzgerald of the Buffalo News, Johnson suffered a torn labrum in Buffalo’s divisional-round win against the Ravens in January, and while he appeared in 94% of the club’s defensive snaps in an AFC Championship Game loss to the Chiefs, he required surgery to repair the damage.

Fortunately, Johnson indicated he will be fully healthy when training camp gets underway next month.

“Feels good, pretty much feels close to normal,” Johnson said. “So, that’s all I can really ask for, being healthy before training camp, so I can fully train and get ready for the season.”

Following a Second Team All-Pro nod in 2023, which begat a three-year, $31MM extension – a then-record for nickelbacks – Johnson took a step back in some respects last year. Thanks to a Week 1 arm injury, Johnson played in only 12 regular season contests in 2024 after enjoying perfect attendance the year prior, and he finished as Pro Football Focus’ 84th-best corner out of 116 qualified players (after grading out as the 18th-best CB out of 127 qualifiers in ‘23).

On the other hand, Pro Football Reference credited him with a modest 80.3 quarterback rating on passes thrown in his direction last season – albeit on a career-worst 70.4% completion percentage – and he tallied two picks for the first time in his career. Irrespective of his surface-level statistics or advanced metrics, Buffalo will once again be relying on the soon-to-be 29-year-old to serve as a key cog in its secondary. He is the second-longest-tenured member of the Bills’ defense, behind only linebacker Matt Milano.

Tight end Dalton Kincaid has also had to focus on his health this offseason. Kincaid, a 2023 first-round pick, enjoyed a strong rookie campaign, posting 73 catches for 673 yards and two scores. He regressed in Year 2, appearing in three fewer games and catching 44 balls for 448 yards and two TDs.

Kincaid, 25, told Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News that he played through injuries to both of his knees last season. Unlike Johnson, he did not need to go under the knife, though he conceded the recovery process took longer than expected.

The Utah product said he dealt with a PCL injury to his left knee and a Morel-Lavallee lesion, which manifested in bursitis, in his right knee. Both head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane told Kincaid he would need to improve his strength this offseason, and Kincaid said he has made a concerted effort to do just that (including increased work with strength and conditioning coach Will Greenberg).

The Bills continue to roster fellow TE Dawson Knox and selected Jackson Hawes in the fifth round of this year’s draft, but Kincaid is expected to lead the way as Josh Allen’s top receiving threat at the tight end position. He will be extension-eligible for the first time after the 2025 season, so he has the opportunity to set himself up nicely for a lucrative second contract.

NFL Minor Transactions: 6/6/25

June 6th, 2025 at 6:38pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves to close out the week:

Buffalo Bills

Philadelphia Eagles

Robinson was a surprising presence on the waiver wire after Jacksonville drafted him in fifth round of last year’s draft. A career backup running back at Alabama and Texas, Robinson was likely drafted for his special teams potential. He spent his last two collegiate years as the Longhorns’ primary kickoff returner but only appeared in six games and returned two kicks as a rookie in Duval.

2025 NFL Cap Space, By Team

June 4th, 2025 at 8:57am CST by Sam Robinson

This week started with a point on the NFL calendar that has been important for decades. Although teams have not needed to wait until June to make their most expensive cuts in many years, they do not see the funds from post-June 1 designations until that point.

With June 1 coming and going, a fourth of the league has seen the savings from post-June 1 releases arrive. That has affected the NFL’s cap-space hierarchy. Here is how every team stands (via OverTheCap) following June 2 changes:

  1. New England Patriots: $67.34MM
  2. San Francisco 49ers: $53.49MM
  3. Detroit Lions: $40.12MM
  4. New York Jets: $39.8MM
  5. Las Vegas Raiders: $36.16MM
  6. Arizona Cardinals: $32.11MM
  7. Dallas Cowboys: $32.11MM
  8. Pittsburgh Steelers: $31.88MM
  9. Seattle Seahawks: $31.21MM
  10. Tennessee Titans: $30.16MM
  11. Green Bay Packers: $28.94MM
  12. Cincinnati Bengals: $27.08MM
  13. Los Angeles Chargers: $26.83MM
  14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: $26.63MM
  15. Jacksonville Jaguars: $26.54MM
  16. Philadelphia Eagles: $25.79MM
  17. New Orleans Saints: $22.62MM
  18. Washington Commanders: $21.13MM
  19. Indianapolis Colts: $20.09MM
  20. Los Angeles Rams: $19.44MM
  21. Baltimore Ravens: $18.95MM
  22. Carolina Panthers: $18.69MM
  23. Minnesota Vikings: $18.49MM
  24. Cleveland Browns: $18.2MM
  25. Houston Texans: $16.3MM
  26. Denver Broncos: $16.23MM
  27. Chicago Bears: $14.76MM
  28. Miami Dolphins: $13.81MM
  29. Kansas City Chiefs: $10.75MM
  30. Atlanta Falcons: $5.02MM
  31. New York Giants: $3.82MM
  32. Buffalo Bills: $1.69MM

The Jets saw their situation change the most from post-June 1 designations, as $13.5MM became available to the team after its Aaron Rodgers and C.J. Mosley cuts. Teams have up to two post-June 1 designations at their disposals. Five clubs — the Jets, Browns, Ravens, Eagles and 49ers — used both slots. Only three other teams made a post-June 1 cut before that seminal date. The eight that made these moves will have dead money split between 2025 and 2026.

Baltimore used the cost-defraying option to release Marcus Williams and Justin Tucker, while Cleveland — in Year 4 of the regrettable Deshaun Watson partnership — used it to move on from Juan Thornhill and Dalvin Tomlinson. As the Eagles’ option bonus-heavy payroll included two hefty bonus numbers for Darius Slay and James Bradberry, the reigning Super Bowl champions released both 30-something cornerbacks. Together, Slay and Bradberry will count more than $20MM on Philadelphia’s 2026 cap sheet. As for this year, though, the Browns, Eagles, Ravens and 49ers respectively saved $9.85MM, $9.4MM, $6.3MM, $6.4MM and $5.6MM, according to Spotrac.

The Jaguars made a mid-offseason decision to release Gabe Davis, doing so not long after trading up to draft Travis Hunter — with the plan to primarily play him at wide receiver — at No. 2 overall. Off-field issues, coupled with a down 2024 season, made Tucker expendable — after the Ravens drafted Tyler Loop in Round 6. The Vikings moved off Garrett Bradbury‘s contract and will replace him with free agency addition Ryan Kelly, while Mason lasted two seasons paired with C.J. Stroud‘s rookie deal. The 49ers made it known early they were moving on from Javon Hargrave, while 2024 trade addition Maliek Collins also exited the team’s D-tackle room.

Derek Carr‘s retirement being processed Tuesday also changed the Saints’ funding. The team will spread the dead money ($50.13MM) across two years. Even with the number being reduced this year, the Saints will be hit with the second-highest single-player dead money hit (behind only the Broncos’ Russell Wilson separation) in NFL history as a result of the Carr exit. The Saints will only be responsible for $19.21MM of that total in 2025. As they did with Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox‘s retirements last year, the Eagles will also process Brandon Graham‘s hit this way.

Eight of this year’s post-June 1 releases remain in free agency. The Patriots added Bradbury to replace the now-retired David Andrews, while the Vikings scooped up Hargrave. As the Steelers await Rodgers’ decision, they added two other post-June 1 releases in Slay and Thornhill. Tomlinson joined the Cardinals not long after his Browns release.

Bills, James Cook Failed To Make Progress During Extension Talks

June 2nd, 2025 at 9:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Bills have worked out a number of extensions with ascending players this offseason. Running back James Cook is notably not a member of that group, and no deal appears to be imminent in his case.

That is not due to a lack of communication between team and player, however. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports Cook and the Bills engaged in extension talks earlier this offseason. He adds, though, that the parties never came particularly close to an agreement.

For several weeks, it has been clear a gap exists between the 25-year-old’s asking price and what the Bills are willing to commit on a long-term deal. Cook is currently on track to play out the final season of his rookie contract, but he has skipped voluntary workouts while continuing to seek a new pact. $15MM per year was mentioned online by the former second-rounder as the value he is aiming for, but the Bills have not been prepared to reach that price point.

General manager Brandon Beane has publicly implied Buffalo is prepared to wait out the coming season before assessing Cook’s value on a big-ticket deal. The Georgia product has only handled starting duties for the past two years, but in that span he has amassed 2,834 scrimmage yards. After rushing for only two touchdowns during each of his first two campaigns, he tied for the league lead with 16 in 2024. With totals like that and age on his side, Cook submitting an asking price near the top of the market is not entirely surprising.

On the other hand, the deals given out to the likes of Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry have come in the wake of sustained All-Pro play. Those veterans are the three backs whose deals average $15MM per year or more, with another four collecting eight figures annually on average. Cook could join one of those groups when his next contract is signed, but he may need to wait until at least some of the 2025 campaign takes place to secure a raise.

The Bills have worked out long-term deals with wideout Khalil Shakir, edge rusher Gregory Rousseau, linebacker Terrel Bernard and cornerback Christian Benford this spring. With those agreements in place – not to mention, of course, the restructure which moved Josh Allen much closer to the top of the QB position’s financial pecking order – most of the team’s offseason work has been taken care of. The Cook situation will linger into the summer if no agreement is reached, and in the absence of a successful second round of negotiations it appears that will be the case.

Texans CB Ronald Darby Retires

June 2nd, 2025 at 2:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

Another retirement decision has been made today. Cornerback Ronald Darby is the latest player who has elected to end his NFL career.

Darby has informed the Texans he is hanging up his cleats, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The 31-year-old signed with Houston in free agency this March. That one-year, $2.5MM pact set him up to offer an experienced presence in the team’s secondary; now though, that will no longer be the case.

The Texans have Derek Stingley Jr. in place for years to come after working out a $30MM-per-year extension with him this offseason. 2024 second-rounder Kamari Lassiter is also in the fold for 2025 and beyond, while Houston added Jaylin Smith in the third round of this year’s draft. That trio will be leaned on with Darby now no longer set to play a depth role this season.

A second-round pick in 2016, Darby handled full-time starting duties right away with the Bills. The Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up was traded to the Eagles after two seasons in Buffalo, and that move paved the way for a three-year Philadelphia stint. During that time, Darby battled injuries but operated as a starter when healthy. He was a member of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII-winning team from 2017.

Another season as a first-team cover man took place in 2020 in Washington. Darby continued to bounce around the NFL during the latter stages of his career, one which also sent him to Denver (2021-22), Baltimore (2023) and Jacksonville (2024). The Florida State product never landed a Pro Bowl invitation or received an All-Pro honor, but he operated as a key defender and posted double-digit pass deflections five times in his career.

In total, Darby played 124 combined regular and postseason games. Nearly all of those were starts, and he handled a defensive snap share of at least 74% for all but one of his 10 NFL campaigns. Darby will depart the league with roughly $42.5MM in career earnings.

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