The Buffalo Bills have not necessarily been high rollers and spent big money in free agency to add players to their roster this offseason, however, they have certainly shown the cold hard cash to the homegrown veterans. That same trend continued Saturday, with the team signing cornerback Christian Benford to a four-year, $76 million contract extension, as initially reported by ESPN.
Benford, 24-year-old, was set to enter the final year of his rookie deal in 2025 and now will be under contract through the 2029 season. He will average $19 million in annual earnings according to ESPN, which makes him roughly a top 12 highest-paid cornerback. The significant pay raise comes after Benford started a career-high 15 games for Sean McDermott’s stout defense in 2024, earning Pro Football Reference’s sixth-best pass coverage grade among all cornerbacks.
The agreement is the latest in the Bills’ prioritizing retaining players who have developed into starters and key contributors before they are eligible to become free agents, “draft, develop and re-sign,” as general manager Brandon Beane says.
“Love Christian and excited he’ll be back this season, and we’ll see if It works out now, later, down the road, to keep him here,” Beane said earlier this month. “Which, again, you know by what I’ve always said, we want to draft, develop, and re-sign our own, and so excited that it will be here this year, especially knowing … we’re thin at the position right now.”
Embed from Getty ImagesA late sixth-round draft pick of the Bills out of Villanova in 2022, Benford played just nine games as a rookie, then emerged as a key piece of the secondary as a second-year player. He has become a force, registering at least two interceptions and 10 pass breakups in each of his last two seasons, even earning a vote for Defensive Player of the Year, thanks to his breakout 2024 campaign.
Benford has turned himself into an unquestioned starter for the team over the past two seasons. He started five games as the Bills hammered out the starting situation in his rookie year. He then took a giant leap forward in 2024 and has developed into the team’s No. 1 outside cornerback. Benford has 34 regular season starts under his belt in three seasons and has posted 5 interceptions, 25 passes defended and 4 forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Benford, whose long-term extension helps ease the pain and offsets the loss of veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas in free agency, is just the latest Bills standout to receive a new deal this year. Buffalo also reached new contract agreements with wide receiver Khalil Shakir, pass rusher Greg Rousseau and linebacker Terrel Bernard.
