Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR 550) - As over 41,000 fans packed in to see their brand new stadium, the Buffalo Bills defense welcomed back Cole Bishop and Max Hairston to practice.
Hairston said he missed time with a groin injury and is glad it wasn't more serious,
"What this was was nowhere close to where I got last year, so I'm thankful in that regard and then getting the treatments on my body, getting it strong and I'm just happy I was able to get back out here."
Hairston did not look limited on the field and he said it was important to get back to it with his teammates,
"It felt good to be back out there with my brothers, the body felt good and I didn't have to think about it, so it was a good day of practice."
This of course is a new defense with defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. Maxwell said he learned a lot before the injury took place,
"We've been installing this defense since OTAs, so just relying back on my notes, watching the film, and when I get out here just do everything faster."
Because of injuries, Hairston only play 11 games in his rookie season. He said he's worked hard to be a better corner this season,
"Really just the confidence I have now, I feel like going into Year 2, this is really my Year 1 as far as knowing how they're attacking me and then just going out there and playing confident."
When Hairston was drafted, a lot was made of his speed. He said now he's actually learned the position better,
"This scheme allows me to slow down a little bit, obviously I'm fast and stuff, but I want to try to be more technical this year, we're playing a lot more man so I've got to be a little more calmer at the line, but also having that speed in my back pocket whenever I do need to use it."
Defensive coordinator Leonhard said about Hairston's injury,
"The first thing that goes is their tempo, they start playing too fast, sometimes your eyes just get a little bit messed up, so every time you lose reps, you feel like you're falling behind and have to catch up, but he won't have any issues schematically with what we're asking him to do, it's just how fast can they snap it back into the right tempo."
Before practice Leonhard spoke about the first preseason game and this week's practice with the Cleveland Browns. In the game against the Carolina Panthers, Leonhard was on the sideline, but that isn't necessarily what he'll do during the season,
"It's what I've always done, but I'm actually going to go up this week in Cleveland and see how that feels. I've primarily been on the sideline my whole career."
Having a practice against another NFL team provides different challenges for both teams. That practice will take place on Thursday, and Leonhard said,
"No. 1 it's the physicality, you're going against somebody else it always lifts the intensity of the practice as you get sick of beating up your own guys and it's more of you don't know exactly what you're going to get, so play ball, so the biggest thing is can our guys go out and play with confidence now and it's react to certain things they haven't studied.
"The competitive juices just get flowing a little bit more than a training camp practice, guys can get away with a little bit more "----" talking, so it's always fun just to see how guys accept that challenge."
The joint practice with the Browns is Thursday in Cleveland before they play the preseason game on Saturday.
The Bills say over 41,000 people came to Monday's open practice
The Bills say over 41,000 people came to Monday's open practice
