Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford has never been named to a Pro Bowl or All-Pro team. He has never recorded more than two interceptions in a single season, nor has he been considered among the elite players at his position.
That isn't his fault, though.
While the former Bills sixth-round pick has always struggled to make a major name for himself, the analytics and overall lockdown numbers have shown that Benford is one of the best players at his position.
The fact that his new deal pays him at the 13th best rate among all cornerbacks makes him an absolute steal for the Bills moving forward.
Benford has worked hard over the last three seasons to be one of the more underrated cornerbacks and defensive players in the league to boot. It's something that head coach Sean McDermott has appreciated the most in the 24-year-old.
"I think, more than anything, he just continues to work hard every day to try to be the best that he can be," McDermott said. "He just does a really good job at staying on task and honing in on what his job is every week and how he wants to improve. You're seeing the results of that."
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The new four-year contract is worth over $76 million and pays him just $19 million in per-year average. His contract will be significantly less than the deal that Sauce Gardner will get with the AFC East rival New York Jets.
And that alone makes Benford's quality play a steal for the organization at his current price.
Especially if he continues to improve moving forward.
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This story was originally published March 30, 2025 at 2:38 PM.