Bills Central

Where does Bills' starting CB duo rank among league's best?

Just how good is the pairing of Christian Benford and Rasul Douglas?

McKenna Middlebrook

Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas (31) reacts against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills cornerback Rasul Douglas (31) reacts against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report had some thoughts on the current state of the Buffalo Bills cornerback position. In a recent article, Moton ranked the defensive back pairing of Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford as the ninth-best in the NFL. He had this to say about Douglas: 

“Douglas' ball-hawking tendencies helped this pair move ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals' tandem for the ninth spot. With the Bills, he recorded eight pass breakups and four interceptions while allowing a 38.6 passer rating and one touchdown in coverage.” 

Douglas was an exceptional pick-up at the 2023 trade deadline, and his impact on the Bills cannot be understated. He became the bonafide number-one cornerback due to the hodgepodge nature of the secondary after Tre’Davious White went down with a second season-ending injury in three years. Moton also had this to say of Benford, “Because of his draft position, the 23-year-old has flown under the radar, but his production is on par with a budding starter.”

Benford has become a star to those of Bills Mafia, as they’ve seen the sixth-round pick out of Villanova make an instant impact since he arrived on the team in 2022, continuing the lineage of great cornerback play in Buffalo. In two seasons he has broken up a total of 15 passes while forcing three interceptions. What can’t be understated is how well he understands the zone coverage the Bills' defense likes to play, including Douglas, the two rarely are seen in busted coverage. 

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While the ranking of Benford and Douglas seems fair for the Bills, it seems almost disingenuous to talk about Buffalo's cornerbacks and exclude Taron Johnson from the discussion. While the list Moton comprised was only duos, Johnson is one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the NFL. In the modern NFL landscape, the nickel corner cannot be underappreciated. 

So, where would you want to rank the duo of Douglas and Benford? Is ninth too low? Possibly too high? Either way, the Bills secondary is still in safe hands with whoever is lining up in the defensive backfield next season.

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McKenna Middlebrook
MCKENNA MIDDLEBROOK

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