Christian Benford, the Buffalo Bills’ CB1, kicked off 2025 having just inked a monster four-year, $69 million contract. Talk about pressure for a sixth-round pick! Then he went out and got absolutely torched in the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens. Seriously, Pro Football Reference showed him allowing six completions and two touchdowns on just eight passes when he was the closest defender. Not the start you want after signing a deal like that, especially with all the questions around Buffalo’s defensive secondary.
From Question Mark to Full-Blown Alarm
That opening game wasn’t an isolated incident either. Benford’s 2025 season start was rough, man. Through the first five games, opposing QBs completed 19-of-27 passes against him, a brutal 70.4% completion rate, for 177 yards and four touchdowns. Worse? Zero interceptions and not a single pass breakup in that entire stretch! It was a real head-scratcher. Buffalo GM Brandon Beane had just used a high draft pick on another corner in April because you can never have too many, especially with whispers about other top corners being injury-prone. Benford, at 6’1″ and 205 lbs, was looking like a liability, not the CB1 who signed for $69 million.
The Flip Switched: From Struggling to Shutdown
Then, something incredible happened. After those brutal first five games, Benford wasn’t just “better,” he was lights-out. The dude locked in! From that point through the rest of the regular season, he didn’t allow another single touchdown. That’s incredible for anyone. He finally gave one up in the Wild Card Round against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but that’s a whole different beast. Across those final eleven games, including the postseason, opposing QBs completed only 16-of-36 passes against him, a mind-blowing 44.4% completion rate. That’s for only 207 yards and just that one playoff touchdown. Plus, he snatched two interceptions and broke up six passes over that same impressive stretch. This 25-year-old corner, who will hit 26 on September 21st, completely transformed his game.
So, where does this leave the Bills’ defense? They’re paying Benford a hefty $7.396 million cap hit for 2026 if he makes the 53-man roster. Cutting him means a brutal $35.036 million dead cap charge. Given how he finished last season, showing he can play lights-out football when it really matters, you’d bet he’s going nowhere. That turnaround is a massive relief for Buffalo and should calm some of those secondary fears. This guy proved he can be a legitimate shutdown corner. Keep a close eye on #47 this season, because if he builds on that incredible finish, the Bills’ secondary might just be the surprise unit of the entire league.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Buffalo Rumblings.
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