Potential Christian Benford Extension Framework

[JGMcD2]

I think the San Francisco 49ers just created the framework for a Christian Benford extension today. Deommodore Lenoir received a 5-year deal worth $92 Million a little over half way through his 4th season. 
 

Lenoir was drafted in 2021 by the 49ers in the 5th Round (172) out of Oregon. In his first three full seasons (2021-2023) he played in 47 games (32 Starts) recording 17 PD, 4 INT, 1 Sack and 124 tackles. PFF gave Lenoir grades of 57.1, 55.9, and 72.5 across his first three full seasons. Lenoir finished his 3rd season at 24 years of age. 
 

Lenoir has had a strong 2024 (4th season) thus far, in 9 games he has 6 PD, 2 INT, 1 FF and 53 tackles. He currently has a 67.8 grade from PFF. 
 

Christian Benford is half way through his 3rd season in the NFL. Benford was drafted in 2022 by the Bills in the 6th Round (185) out of Villanova. Looking at his first three seasons up to this point (2022-2024) he has played in 33 games (28 Starts) recording 19 PD, 4 INT, 3 FF, and 92 tackles. PFF assigned grades of 55.7, 82.2 and 77.0 (TBD) to Benford. He’s playing his 3rd season at 24 years of age. 
 

Lenoir has played both the boundary and nickel positions in his career while Benford has exclusively played the boundary. At this point, Benford seems to have outplayed Lenoir statistically despite having 7 games remaining in his 3rd season. It’s a crude comparison, but a Lenoir is a player with a similar background to Benford and may give us an idea of what it will take to retain Benford ahead of his 4th and final year of his rookie contract. 

Edited November 13 by JGMcD2

[HappyDays]

Thanks man. No way anybody could have misinterpreted this thread title.

[JGMcD2]

2 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

Thanks man. No way anybody could have misinterpreted this thread title.

Fixed the title - wasn’t thinking about it too much when I was comparing the two. My bad. 

Edited November 13 by JGMcD2

[ghostwriter]

Sounds about right to me.

[BillMafia716ix]

Benford due for a big day. Rasul Douglas contract is up too after this year. I don’t think we bringing him back which means Kaiir Elam becomes #2. Corner will definitely be a priority in the draft come April.

[Breakout Squad]

1 minute ago, BillMafia716ix said:

Benford due for a big day. Rasul Douglas contract is up too after this year. I don’t think we bringing him back which means Kaiir Elam becomes #2. Corner will definitely be a priority in the draft come April.

I hope they try to bring Douglas back. 

[GunnerBill]

4 hours ago, Breakout Squad said:

I hope they try to bring Douglas back. 

 

If there was a deal to be done I think it would have been done last summer. He wants to maximise his $$s. This contract he is playing on (which was moderate not massive) is is only real payday as a pro. So he is after the biggest number he can get. 

6 hours ago, JGMcD2 said:

I think the San Francisco 49ers just created the framework for a Christian Benford extension today. Deommodore Lenoir received a 5-year deal worth $92 Million a little over half way through his 4th season. 
 

Lenoir was drafted in 2021 by the 49ers in the 5th Round (172) out of Oregon. In his first three full seasons (2021-2023) he played in 47 games (32 Starts) recording 17 PD, 4 INT, 1 Sack and 124 tackles. PFF gave Lenoir grades of 57.1, 55.9, and 72.5 across his first three full seasons. Lenoir finished his 3rd season at 24 years of age. 
 

Lenoir has had a strong 2024 (4th season) thus far, in 9 games he has 6 PD, 2 INT, 1 FF and 53 tackles. He currently has a 67.8 grade from PFF. 
 

Christian Benford is half way through his 3rd season in the NFL. Benford was drafted in 2022 by the Bills in the 6th Round (185) out of Villanova. Looking at his first three seasons up to this point (2022-2024) he has played in 33 games (28 Starts) recording 19 PD, 4 INT, 3 FF, and 92 tackles. PFF assigned grades of 55.7, 82.2 and 77.0 (TBD) to Benford. He’s playing his 3rd season at 24 years of age. 
 

Lenoir has played both the boundary and nickel positions in his career while Benford has exclusively played the boundary. At this point, Benford seems to have outplayed Lenoir statistically despite having 7 games remaining in his 3rd season. It’s a crude comparison, but a Lenoir is a player with a similar background to Benford and may give us an idea of what it will take to retain Benford ahead of his 4th and final year of his rookie contract. 

 

That comes out at $18.4m AAV. Spotrac has him at $22.7m AAV. I think that is the range and suspect it falls somewhere between the two. AJ Terrell territory - $20.25m is roughly where I think he lands. 

[machine gun kelly]

6 hours ago, BillMafia716ix said:

Benford due for a big day. Rasul Douglas contract is up too after this year. I don’t think we bringing him back which means Kaiir Elam becomes #2. Corner will definitely be a priority in the draft come April.

IDK as Benford wouldn’t start hitting until 2026, whereas Douglas would be 2025.  Now Douglas at 30 could accept a 3 year deal with the 3rd voidable.  Elam has been  doing well, but doesn’t compare to Rasul’s skills.

 

Thats what I would want.

[GunnerBill]

Just now, machine gun kelly said:

IDK as Benford wouldn’t start hitting until 2026, whereas Douglas would be 2025.  Now Douglas at 30 could accept a 3 year deal with the 3rd voidable.  Elam has been  doing well, but doesn’t compare to Rasul’s skills.

 

Thats what I would want.

 

Douglas wants to test his market. He will only be back if the Bills put the most $$s on the table.

[Back2Buff]

Anyone have Benford's stats from this past game?  It seemed liked AD Mitchell was cooking him.

 

I think people need to be careful with DBs in a Mcdermott Defense.  He can get production out of most.  Lots of zone play.  I wouldn't overpay any DB as long as we have Mcdermott.  It's the one advantage we get with a defensive coach.  Spend the money on offense.

[MJS]

I think he'll get at least 20 million per year.

[Sweats]

I think you've just gotta pay the man, but will we do it?

 

I know we're freeing up some cash next season, but it seems a little steep IMO

[GunnerBill]

20 minutes ago, Back2Buff said:

Anyone have Benford's stats from this past game?  It seemed liked AD Mitchell was cooking him.

 

 

Yep. Targeted 3 times (all vs AD Mitchell) 3 receptions for 31 yards but only 2 yards after catch so it was basically yards given up by scheme rather than by Benford being beat. He definitely wasn't cooked. 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

7 hours ago, Breakout Squad said:

I hope they try to bring Douglas back. 

Never mind the Benford!  Here's the Christian Wade!!!

[DCofNC]

47 minutes ago, Back2Buff said:

Anyone have Benford's stats from this past game?  It seemed liked AD Mitchell was cooking him.

 

I think people need to be careful with DBs in a Mcdermott Defense.  He can get production out of most.  Lots of zone play.  I wouldn't overpay any DB as long as we have Mcdermott.  It's the one advantage we get with a defensive coach.  Spend the money on offense.

 

32 minutes ago, MJS said:

I think he'll get at least 20 million per year.

These two post summarize the situation.  He’s good, not athletically gifted and can get cooked.  I would try to trade him or take your comp pick because he’s going to get paid and I personally don’t think it’s worth it.  McD makes nobody corners into “stars” and they ALL struggle without him.  

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, DCofNC said:

 

These two post summarize the situation.  He’s good, not athletically gifted and can get cooked.  I would try to trade him or take your comp pick because he’s going to get paid and I personally don’t think it’s worth it.  McD makes nobody corners into “stars” and they ALL struggle without him.  

 

This "not athletically gifted" thing.... where does it come from? It isn't true. Nor is it true that he got cooked on Sunday. There is a misconception with Benford that because he was drafted late he is Jackson or Wallace or Hamlin. He isn't. He is much closer to Kaiir Elam athletically only with the smarts to play the position. He went 6th round because he played at Vilanova. If he'd played at Pitt or Alabama like Jackson or Wallace he would have been a day two pick, no doubt. He has been a top 10 outside corner in the NFL so far this year. I'm not saying you must pay him, but if you don't definitely trade him because he is worth more than the single 3rd round pick you'd get back as a comp pick. 

[UConn James]

48 minutes ago, Back2Buff said:

Anyone have Benford's stats from this past game?  It seemed liked AD Mitchell was cooking him.

 

I think people need to be careful with DBs in a Mcdermott Defense.  He can get production out of most.  Lots of zone play.  I wouldn't overpay any DB as long as we have Mcdermott.  It's the one advantage we get with a defensive coach.  Spend the money on offense.

Somewhat agree.

 

If refs are going to allow OLs to hold with impunity, why invest heavily on the DL as we have? We can’t get near the opposing QB even *blitzing* when playing actually good teams. But for CB/S that’s an area where you need to put your defensive resources for a couple-few talented guys.
 

McD can seemingly make chicken salad out of chicken 💩 in the secondary, which is where he started coaching in the league. But it would be nice to have some resources allocated there, which they have been doing.

[DrDawkinstein]

50 minutes ago, Sweats said:

I think you've just gotta pay the man, but will we do it?

 

I know we're freeing up some cash next season, but it seems a little steep IMO

 

I think Beane gets it done. He drafted Elam in the 1st that same year so there would have been some sort of long term plan to pay a guy top CB money. The only difference is the money that could have been Elam's will be going to Benford. And we'll have the cap room freeing up over the next couple of years.

 

Given Beane's track record, I'd be most surprised if we didnt get a new deal done.

[YattaOkasan]

18 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

 

These two post summarize the situation.  He’s good, not athletically gifted and can get cooked.  I would try to trade him or take your comp pick because he’s going to get paid and I personally don’t think it’s worth it.  McD makes nobody corners into “stars” and they ALL struggle without him.  

 

Those are some pretty good gifts.  His agility is poor (though his 10 yard is great) but I think he more than makes up for that with his brain.  Combine his processing and frame and you can see why hes successful.  Dane was a 4.45 for reference.  Ive only ever seen him get cooked once and that was when villanova played Penn State he got roasted by Dotson.  Youd think if he wasnt athletic enough and was getting cooked he would miss more than 1 tackle in the past 24 games!  Also he allows a sub 90 QB rating.  Dude is a dog that keeps things in front of him while generating 8 FF and INT combined.  

 

 

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Sweats said:

I think you've just gotta pay the man, but will we do it?

 

I know we're freeing up some cash next season, but it seems a little steep IMO

 

Jerry Jones would wait, so we should act while we can get it done more affordably.  WWJJD? Don’t do that. 

 

 

.

Edited November 13 by Augie