Is Bills’ starting cornerback duo the best in the NFL?

Where does the Buffalo Bills' starting cornerback duo of Christian Benford and Rasul Douglas rank among the rest of the NFL?

Ronnie Eastham | Sep 22, 2024

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Jarrett Bailey of The Sporting News recently penned an article in which he asserted that Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford is playing better than New York Jets two-time All-Pro defender Sauce Garnder to start the 2024 campaign. The 24-year-old has gotten off to a stellar start to the 2024 season, recording ten tackles, one pass deflection, and one interception as he’s played a crucial part in locking down the opposition’s top offensive weapons. Both Benford and veteran defensive back Rasul Douglas have been near-flawless to kick off the new season, and Bailey’s article got us thinking—is Buffalo’s starting cornerback tandem currently the NFL’s best?

It shouldn't shock anyone to see another late-round defensive back (Benford was a sixth-round draft pick) exceeding draft-day expectations under Sean McDermott. The head coach and his staff have a penchant for placing day three, undrafted, or generally overlooked defensive backs in positions to succeed and getting the most out of their skill sets; Levi Wallace, Dane Jackson, Micah Hyde, and Jordan Poyer serve as examples of this, with Ja'Marcus Ingram looking to be the most recent uncovered gem. That tradition continues with Benford, who is currently PFF's seventh-highest-graded corner. It's only two games, but he finished last season as the ninth-highest graded (83.0), so it's fair to expect his strong play to continue throughout the season.

Last season, Douglas finished with a PFF grade of 81.0, good enough for 12th in the NFL. As far as PFF grades go, Douglas' numbers are down so far this season, but if Benford continues to play at this level, teams will start to attack Douglas more. That will give the veteran more opportunities to make plays, something he did after coming to Buffalo from Green Bay via trade last season as he recorded four interceptions in nine games. The Bills face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football, featuring the return of Gabe Davis and rookie Brian Thomas Jr. Buffalo's corners will once again have an opportunity to show the world just how good they are in primetime.

Bleacher Report ranked who they believe the top tandems are ahead of the 2024 season and the Bills' dynamic duo made the list, at number nine. Benford's draft position is a big reason they weren't ranked higher, as he's not yet a household name despite his high-level play throughout his professional career. He's gotten off to a solid start in changing that this season, as he looks to be well on his way to earning national recognition and honors for his play. Before it's all said and done this season, Benford and Douglas will be a top-five tandem, if not the top in the NFL.

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