Joe Brady: Maxwell Hairston is a starting cornerback

The Bills did not play most of their starters against the Steelers on Thursday night, but they did have Maxwell Hairston in the lineup at cornerback to open the game.

Hairston has dealt with a groin injury in camp this summer and did not play in the team's first two preseason games, which is why head coach Joe Brady decided to have him on the field along with second-round pick Davis Igbinosun.

"I thought it was important for Maxwell, he hasn't had an opportunity," Brady said, via the team's website. "I thought it was just good for him to just be able to come out, go through it, get a feel for the environment and game, all of that. That was the biggest reason for it."

Brady went on to say that Hairston will also be on the field at corner with Christian Benford when the Bills line up for their first defensive snap in Week 1.

"He's our starting corner. Maxwell's got exactly what we look for in a corner," Brady said.

Hairston also missed time with injury as a rookie and Igbinosun got good reviews for his camp work, so the current plan may not prove to be the final word on how the Bills line up in the secondary this season.