NFL insider says Bills are ‘open’ to re-signing veteran CB on expiring contract

ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler recently wrote that the Buffalo Bills "appear open" to extending the contract of veteran cornerback Rasul Douglas.

Kyle Silagyi | Nov 13, 2024

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The Buffalo Bills have historically fielded stellar cornerback tandems under head coach Sean McDermott since the sideline boss first took the reins of the team in 2017, but the duo currently boasted by the club is perhaps its best in recent memory.

Rasul Douglas and Christian Benford, though not a pair that generally receive their proverbial flowers from the national media, have been excellent since linking up after the 2023 trade deadline, with both currently sticking out among the NFL’s better cornerbacks despite their lack of mainstream attention. Douglas recorded four interceptions after being acquired by Buffalo midway through the 2023 campaign and has again been solid to start the 2024 season, recording 41 tackles and five pass deflections through 10 games. Benford, for his part, has been a lockdown defender, allowing a sub-60% completion percentage when targeted. Quarterbacks have posted a putrid 71.5 passer rating when throwing at the third-year defensive back (per PFF.)

The Douglas-Benford duo is demonstrably effective, but the financial realities of the NFL could prevent it from being one that stands the test of time in Orchard Park. Douglas is on the final year of a three-year, $21 million contract he signed with the Green Bay Packers in 2022 and, given his recent play, figures to be a highly-coveted player in next year’s free agent class. ESPN recently ranked the 30-year-old as the 13th-best pending free agent, with insider Jeremy Fowler weighing in on whether the Bills are interested in bringing the veteran back.

“The Bills appear open to extending Douglas, who has been a seamless fit since acquired via trade in 2023, but the team must also budget for emerging corner Christian Benford, a 2026 free agent,” Fowler wrote. “Buffalo has 2022 first-rounder Kaiir Elam ready to step into a starting role should Douglas walk.”

Extending Douglas, in a vacuum, is a no-brainer, as he’s helped make the cornerback position one that Buffalo’s brass attributes no concern. That said, Douglas will be 31 years of age when the 2025 NFL season commences, and allotting significant financial capital to an aging defensive back—especially considering the other players currently in need of extensions—may not be the best utilization of assets from an organizational perspective.

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Benford, as Fowler notes, will enter the final year of his rookie deal in 2025. He could be in for an extension as early as next spring, and given his youth (24 years old) and stellar play this season, his extension should be prioritized over that of Douglas. Five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper is also set to become a free agent, and breakout defensive end Greg Rousseau will soon be in need of an extension of his own; it’s never too early to start thinking about Josh Allen’s next contract, either. General manager Brandon Beane did excellent work in the 2024 offseason to create long-term financial flexibility for his club, and the team is currently projected to have $9 million in salary cap space next offseason before any additional moves; the Bills could likely afford to sign Douglas, but given the bevy of already-explored factors, it may not be atop their priority list.

Fowler also notes that cornerback Kaiir Elam is “ready to step into a starting role” in the case that Douglas departs, this after a 2024 offseason in which the 24-year-old earned frequent praise from the Bills’ coaching staff. He has one more year remaining on his rookie deal and could have two if Buffalo opts to pick up his fifth-year option next spring; allowing a ‘sure thing’ to walk in favor of a question mark could be risky, but having developed Elam for the last three years, the Bills may feel confident in handing him the proverbial ball.

Only time will tell whether Douglas ultimately receives a second contract in Buffalo, but the team, per Fowler, is open to the idea.

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