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Alaina Getzenberg
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Bills continued their philosophy and offseason trend of signing their own draft picks to long-term extensions, agreeing to terms with cornerback Christian Benford on a four-year, $76 million contract extension, his agents, Hadley Engelhard and Jim Ulrich of EnterSports Management, told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday.
Benford, 24, was entering the final year of his rookie deal and now will be under contract through the 2029 season. The agreement is the latest in the Bills’ prioritizing retaining players who have developed into starters before they become free agents — “draft, develop and re-sign,” as general manager Brandon Beane says.
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The sixth-round pick out of Villanova becomes the third member of the Bills’ 2022 draft class to sign a four-year extension this offseason, joining wide receiver Khalil Shakir and linebacker Terrel Bernard. The Bills have also signed defensive end Greg Rousseau (four years) and quarterback Josh Allen (six years) to extensions this offseason.
“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.”
Benford has been a clear starter for the team over the past two seasons — he started five games as the Bills worked out the starting situation in his rookie year. He then took a step forward in 2024 and has developed into the team’s No. 1 outside cornerback. Benford has 34 regular-season starts in three seasons and has posted 5 interceptions, 25 passes defensed and 4 forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
The average annual value of the new deal on its own puts Benford’s average annual value tied for 13th among cornerbacks.
Signing Benford in part addresses the team’s biggest position of need at outside cornerback for the future. However, there is no clear starter opposite Benford on the roster with the draft less than a month away after Rasul Douglas became a free agent this offseason. In terms of depth at the position, the team traded 2022 first-round pick Kaiir Elam to the Dallas Cowboys this month and brought back Dane Jackson.
The remaining question mark among the possible extension candidates for the Bills is 2022 second-round pick running back James Cook.
