The Buffalo Bills are not that far away from hoisting their first-ever Lombardi trophy. If the ball bounces a different way in each of the past few seasons, it might have already happened. But as we look ahead to the 2025 season, Buffalo is among the handful of teams that have a real chance of winning the Super Bowl this year.
For that to happen, the Bills have to be better on defense. They’ve allowed over 33 points per game in their previous five playoff losses despite playing well in the regular season. The Bills have a good roster on paper, but they need their talent to show up on the field when the games matter the most.
Buffalo is hoping that their productive offseason will help that unit, but for the defense to really take off, they will need a few of their best players to take another big step. And the most likely candidate is Christian Benford, whom the Bills rewarded with a new contract extension this offseason.
Benford has been a starter on-and-off for the last three seasons, but 2024 was by far his best year. According to Pro Football Reference, Benford allowed just 5.4 yards per target on 58 targets during the 2024 season. That was the seventh fewest in the NFL last season among qualifying cornerbacks, and he was just outside of the top three. Every metric suggests Benford is among the best defensive backs in the league, and the eye test would agree.
There is no denying that Benford is already one of the league’s best cornerbacks on a snap-by-snap basis, but what if he takes that next step and becomes an All-Pro caliber player? According to one teammate per Maddy Glab, he is already there. Taron Johnson believes Benford is the best cornerback in the league, and it sure seems like he’s taken that next step during this year’s camp.
Taron Johnson says the vibe this defense is giving is that they’re going to be really good
— Maddy Glab (@MadGlab) July 28, 2025
Adds Christian Benford is bringing the swag because he’s the best corner in the league #Bills
Benford is just 24 years old so it wouldn’t be surprising if he continues to improve going into Year 4. And with all the additional pieces Buffalo has added to the defensive line and secondary, they have the pieces to have a dominant defense. But they’ll need Benford to play like a superstar, especially with all of the top receiving weapons in the AFC that they are likely to face in the postseason.
Buffalo’s defense will only go as far as Benford takes them, but it sure seems like the former Villanova defensive back is ready for stardom, and his teammates are taking notice. Look for Benford to have a career year in Year 4 and become a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback.