One of the late round gems of the 2022 draft, Christian Benford is eligible for a contract extension after several three stellar years of play. While his quality of play has never been in question, what he is worth and how long the contract should be is the unknown answer.
The Bills front office needs to determine how much Benford is worth to them and whether there are any risks to sign him.
Today’s article analyzes Benford’s injury history, what a potential price range may be, and whether he would be worth signing.
Injury History
College
For a complete college injury history, please click here.
NFL
2022 Buffalo Bills
Right hand fracture, Week 3, missed 2 games
Oblique strain, Week 12, went to IR, missed 4 games.
2023 Bills
Right shoulder, Week 4, missed 1 game.
Right hamstring, Week 8, missed 1 game.
Right knee, Wild Card, missed 1 game.
2024 Bills
Left wrist, Week 8, missed 1 game.
Back injury, Wild Card, missed 0 games.
Concussion, Divisional Round, missed 0 games.
Concussion, AFC Championship, left game early.
Injury Analysis
Benford has had his variety of injuries with no injury occurring twice with the exception of his most recent concussions. He missed the most games of his career during his rookie year and improved his availability every year. Whether this was a coincidence due to the nature of the injuries or whether he was able to callous his body up to withstand the rigors of the NFL. There may be a combination but there aren’t any patterns as observed above.
Looking at his injuries, there aren’t really any that stand out for long term concerns. That includes the concussions. Assessing the concussions, hindsight says that he probably should not have played in the AFC Championship game. However, he did clear the NFL concussion protocol which means he was able to play. At that point, you have to work within the rules that are provided.
The back to back concussions are overall not a concern moving forward as there are plenty of players who have suffered multiple concussions and the Bills extended. This includes Taron Johnson and Mitch Morse, two players who have been extended even after their concussions issues. Benford has since been cleared which was confirmed at the NFL combine and he has had time in the offseason to continue to recover.
The Bills should not have any concerns about extending Christian Benford.
Market Value
Benford is set to have a massive payday for being a sixth round pick and both Spotrac and Over the Cap indicate that. Spotrac has him at $23 million AAV while Over The Cap has him at $16.4 million AAV.
Should Benford be paid $23 million, that puts him third behind Patrick Surtain and Jalen Ramsey. I don’t believe that Benford is on the same level of a NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Pro. His market is likely closer to the $16.4 million which would place him top-15 but closer to Deommodore Lenoir. A solid cornerback but without the accolades. Benford has earned his money and his injury history/availability should not hinder either side from accepting this offer.
Final Thoughts
Benford is the player that helped salvage the 2022 draft especially when it came to cornerbacks as Kaiir Elam was supposed to be this with his first-round draft selection. He is going to be financially secure with whatever number he signs for and will have earned every penny.
It remains to be seen when he gets extended, but I would expect this decision to be a similarly easy one as the Khalil Shakir one was.
Top Photo Credit: Buffalo Rumblings
Discover more from Banged Up Bills
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
