Bills Central

Key defensive piece expands Bills' presence in PFF Top 101 NFL players

Buffalo sees a third-year player land on the prestigious list as a result of his 2024 performance.
Khari Demos|
Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford.
Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

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The Buffalo Bills' strong 2024 season can be credited to some of the best players in the league.

According to PFF, the Bills have top-tier performers. Several Buffalo players in Buffalo appear in PFF's Top 101 for the 2024 NFL season. From Spencer Brown to Greg Rousseau and the disgruntled James Cook, Bills' players are littered throughout the list.

The highest-ranking player yet from Buffalo? Third-year cornerback Christian Benford, at No. 67. The former sixth-round pick continues to be one of Buffalo's best defenders and looks like a player the team may have to prioritize extending this offseason.

Benford's 82.6 overall PFF grade ranked fifth in the NFL among all CBs. That mark was boosted by his 82.8 coverage grade, which ranked sixth-best in the league among corners. Across 15 starts in 2024, the Villanova product garnered a 72.3 passer rating allowed when targeted, according to PFF.

Benford's 2024 season was so strong, he even nabbed a fifth-place vote for AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year, which went to Broncos' All-Pro CB Patrick Surtain II.

And Benford's not just a cover corner. He's been a steady tackler for the Bills' defense, totaling two combined missed tackles in 2023 and 2024.

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The way Benford has played in his first three seasons in the NFL, he has earned his stripes for Buffalo. And even in saying that, the third-year corner still feels like a hidden gem not widely known across the league.

If he's able to replicate the season he just posted in 2024, he will become a household name in no time.

Christian Benford
Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford (47). | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Khari Demos
KHARI DEMOS

Khari Demos is an award-winning sports media creator and is a contributor for Bills On SI. He has written sports betting article covering the NFL for The Athletic and has written pieces about the NBA, MLB, college football and basketball, and more, throughout his career.

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