Bills Camp: Can This Rookie CB Make a Difference?

The Buffalo Bills begin the quest for their first Super Bowl title on Sept. 8 against the defending world champion Rams. But first, the preseason will help set the roster for that campaign.

The Buffalo Bills have one goal for 2022, and it's the same as most teams in the NFL entering the season. A Super Bowl title is the only ending to the season that's acceptable. 

It's a long season for everyone, and the task at hand is setting the roster for the regular season. That begins with training camp and culminates with three preseason games to determine who stays and who's cut.

The Bills begin the preseason on August 13 against the Indianapolis Colts at Highmark Stadium.

The coaching staff will have an opportunity to watch and evaluate some players who have never been on an NFL field before, as well as a few veterans who are just looking to secure their roster spots.

But preseason is also a time of caution. No team wants to lose a star player because of an injury in the preseason. Because of that, we, as fans, get a big dose of young players.

Which young players might impress for Buffalo this year?

Rookie cornerback Christian Benford is one to watch. The 6-1, 205-pound Benford is from Villanova, and one of just 20 players drafted from the FCS ranks of college football. 

Benford is a physical player who led the FCS with 25 passes defended last year and grabbed seven interceptions. Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has already begun singing his praises.

Leslie Frazier says that he thought a lot of people in the league overlooked CB Christian Benford. #Bills were excited to land him and he’s been up to challenge in spring and summer.

“He has a certain maturity you like to see, and he doesn’t back down from any situation.”

— Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) August 2, 2022

The sixth-round pick might have been overlooked by everyone except Buffalo. The Bills' prize pick was Kaiir Elam from Florida, who was drafted to be the starter alongside Tre-Davious White.

But Elam has yet to impress during camp, allowing Benford time with the first team. And he might have done just enough for that to be a permanent spot when the preseason hits. 

White is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 12 last season, so really, two starting spots are available out of camp.

If Benford has a strong showing against the Colts, he could very well find himself in the first-team conversation in September. And he doesn't need to be a superstar during the preseason either. 

With a strong, disciplined showing, Benford can start the season with the first team against the Rams. Then, with some consistent play before the return of White, he can find himself on the field playing with the other regular starters during the team's Super Bowl run.

---

You can follow Timm Hamm on Twitter at @IndyCarTim