Christian Benford, Buffalo Bills Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Bills' $76 million defender lands on exclusive NFL list

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Anthony Miller | Last updated May 20, 2025 7:30 AM ET

The Buffalo Bills' defense is set up for success over the next five years after making necessary moves in the offseason to lock in their top young players.

Buffalo's most vital player to extend on defense is arguably cornerback Christian Benford. Bills general manager Brandon Beane secured Benford on a four-year, $76 million contract extension in the offseason that will keep him with the team through the 2029 season.

That move was paramount to getting the defense set up for the long term. While the casual NFL fan might not be familiar with his impact, Benford has already shown that he is one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the NFL at 24 years old.

PFF writer Jonathon Macri ranked the 25 best players in the NFL who are under 25 years old. Benford made the cut as he landed at 18. Macri credited Benford for having one of the best coverage grades in the league despite not being talked about as often.

"There is an argument that Benford is one of the most underrated players in the league, having ranked as a top-15 cornerback in PFF overall grade since entering the league. He also owns a top-12 PFF coverage grade (84.0) over that span."

"Once Benford became a full-time starter in 2023, he truly earned his inclusion on this list, as he moves into the top five in PFF coverage grade among cornerbacks (87.1) over that span. During that same stretch, Benford has allowed just 0.76 yards per coverage snap — a top-10 mark among 150 qualifying cornerbacks since 2022."

Macri also shared Benford's other key PFF grades and stats:

Three-year grade: 82.7
Snaps played since 2022: 1,844
Average WAR since 2022: 0.34

Benford has racked up 142 tackles, seven tackles for loss, five interceptions, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries in 39 career games. He received votes to get into the conversation for AP Defensive Player of the Year as he finished 22nd.

Buffalo will be leaning heavily on their young defensive back to step up into a bigger role with Rasul Douglas no longer on the team. His stats show that Benford is ready for the challenge in what already looking like a solid defense for the Bills.