Christian Benford
Christian Benford
The Buffalo Bills took some hits to their secondary this week, with a big injury that could create an opening for an unexpected rookie standout.
Starting cornerback Christian Benford was knocked out of Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers, suffering a toe injury and wearing a walking boot after the game. While his status for this week’s game against the New England Patriots has not yet been determined, one insider believes the Bills could give rookie Kani Walker his first chance to appear in an NFL game.
Bills Could Give Kani Walker His Big Shot
SI.com’s Ralph Ventre noted that the Bills could be in a pinch in the coming week. They already placed defensive back Jordan Hancock on injured reserve,
“Undrafted rookie Kani Walker and former Division II All-American Anthony Kendall are the two true cornerbacks on Buffalo’s practice squad,” Ventre wrote.
He noted that the Bills called up Te’Cory Couch for this week’s game, but the versatile defensive back has been used more at safety. If they need a cornerback to replace Benford, the Bills would likely turn to Walker, Ventre wrote.
“From how it looked during the preseason, Walker seems like the next man up,” Ventre wrote. “It was initially thought that he had done enough to make the 53-man roster as the fourth boundary cornerback. It also helps that Walker has a familiarity with current Bills’ assistant coach Jay Valai from their shared time at Oklahoma.”
Another Rookie Cornerback Comes Up Big for the Bills
The Bills have already gotten some key contributions from another rookie cornerback, second-round pick Davison Igbinosun. He has seen sporadic playing time while rotating with Maxwell Hairston, and made some big plays after Benford was hurt on Sunday.
Bills head coach Joe Brady gave Igbinosun credit for a tackle that prevented a first down. After falling behind 10-0 early in the game, Buffalo’s defense got a series of key stops and only allowed two more field goals the rest of the way.
“Some critical plays getting off the field,” Brady said. “There’s one play of IGB that stands out, a tackle on the sideline. We’ve been saying all along, just getting those guys opportunities. There’s gonna come a time we’re gonna need that.”