The Buffalo Bills are in the midst of an offseason in which they are hoping that they can still be a championship contender without players like wide receiver Stefon Diggs on the team. As Buffalo is progressing through Organized Team Activities (OTAs), they can move forward knowing that one of their players is being shown some love.
Per Gennaro Filice of NFL.com, Bills cornerback Christian Bedford is one of the most under-appreciated players in the AFC, joining players such as Miami Dolphins cornerback Kendall Fuller and Houston Texans defensive lineman Denico Autry. Filice picked one player from each team that he believed deserves more appreciation for what he brings to the field.
Benford, 23, came to the Bills with the 185th overall pick (sixth round) of the 2022 NFL draft out of Villanova and since then, he has been a valuable member of Buffalo’s defensive backfield. Benford has played in 24 games (19 starts) over the past two seasons and has put up 78 tackles (60 solo), three interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
Benford has been a nice success story for the Bills given that he came into the NFL as a late-round pick and being behind players like Kaiir Elam, Tre’Davious White, and Rasul Douglas, among others. That doesn’t mean that Benford shouldn’t be regarded as a good cornerback regardless of his draft pedigree.
The breakdown on Benford can be found below:
Shockingly, Benford promptly proceeded to beat out Elam for a starting CB spot in Year 1, though injuries abbreviated his rookie campaign. In Year 2, Benford fully broke out, starting 14 games and posting a top-10 PFF grade among qualified cornerbacks. With offseason attrition across Buffalo’s secondary, the Bills will rely on this former Day 3 steal to play a critical role in Sean McDermott’s defense.
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