Potential Christian Benford Extension Framework

[GunnerBill]

18 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

Yeah players grow and he completely outplays his testing numbers 

 

He's not the fastest or the quickest , but with his size strength and length he has enough physical tools to match up 

 

I thought it was a great pic out of Villanova I just didn't know what it's actual ceiling would be since he was FCS and you can't always tell 

 

Turns out it's high

 

He isn't a burner, for sure. But his first 10 of his 40 time were elite and you see that acceleration on the field IMO. He isn't a long speed guy who is chasing people down, but he can run with receivers. That first Miami game he ran with Hill twice in the first quarter and through that initial burst and perfect leverage was able to stay with him. 

 

I think the people who are not sold on him are guilty of holding his draft status against him and presuming he is just a try hard overachiever. But he has some of the physical traits you look for as well.  He is talented.

[RenoNVBillsfan]

The ‘22 draft class may go down as one of the greatest ever in Bills history. Contracts for Bernard, Benford, Shakir and Cook, specifically. Really hard decisions for Beane to prioritize. You can’t pay them all, I suspect. Who would you prioritize? 

[Buffalo716]

9 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

He isn't a burner, for sure. But his first 10 of his 40 time were elite and you see that acceleration on the field IMO. He isn't a long speed guy who is chasing people down, but he can run with receivers. That first Miami game he ran with Hill twice in the first quarter and through that initial burst and perfect leverage was able to stay with him. 

 

I think the people who are not sold on him are guilty of holding his draft status against him and presuming he is just a try hard overachiever. But he has some of the physical traits you look for as well.  He is talented.

He certainly isn't slow and I never applied that 

 

I was just saying he's not a 4.39 guy like Gilmore 

 

He's definitely plenty fast enough, and he has a nice burst

[JerseyBills]

Benford is ELITE 

 

This dude should 100% receive the extension this off season,  typically how BBB does it with his key guys

[TheBeaneBandit]

50 minutes ago, RenoNVBillsfan said:

The ‘22 draft class may go down as one of the greatest ever in Bills history. Contracts for Bernard, Benford, Shakir and Cook, specifically. Really hard decisions for Beane to prioritize. You can’t pay them all, I suspect. Who would you prioritize? 

Great question. I guess in this modern NFL I'd go, Benford, ***** Bernard and Shakira might be a coin flip, and then Cook walks. Unless it's a Henry/Barkley type talent, you just draft a RB in the 3rd or 4th round every other year.

[EmotionallyUnstable]

9 minutes ago, TheBeaneBandit said:

Great question. I guess in this modern NFL I'd go, Benford, ***** Bernard and Shakira might be a coin flip, and then Cook walks. Unless it's a Henry/Barkley type talent, you just draft a RB in the 3rd or 4th round every other year.

I’m guessing Shakir and Benford would be the priority, followed closely by Bernard and Cook in a distant fourth.

 

I love Bernard but seeing them let Edmunds walk and prioritizing other positions early in the draft and FA make me feel like they think WR/CB are more important than LB, 

[HappyDays]

1 hour ago, RenoNVBillsfan said:

The ‘22 draft class may go down as one of the greatest ever in Bills history. Contracts for Bernard, Benford, Shakir and Cook, specifically. Really hard decisions for Beane to prioritize. You can’t pay them all, I suspect. Who would you prioritize? 

 

Cook is easy, let him walk.

 

Shakir is difficult for me. If he's getting $20M per season I let him walk. I love his YAC skills and his chemistry with Allen but that's too expensive for a slot WR who's better after the catch than before.

 

Bernard I think will be cheap enough to re-sign. He is a really good fit for McDermott's scheme but other teams might not value him as much. Plus he is injury prone and small. I see us getting a team friendly deal and I'm good with that because I think he is growing into one of the best pass coverage LBs in the league. The INT he had against Houston and the almost INT he had against Indy were not even necessarily bad reads by the QB, he just read the plays at an almost psychic level and got to a spot that the QB never would have expected.

 

Benford will be a priority for Beane I am sure. He is a culture fit and a scheme fit and he just keeps getting better. And I don't think he's going to get a massive record breaking deal or anything like that because he is a zone CB. Tre White got 17.25M AAV when we extended him. I could see Benford getting very similar numbers even after accounting for salary cap inflation because he's a tick below what Tre was as a player.

 

Edited 17 hours ago by HappyDays

[BarleyNY]

Guessing Benford is looking at a four year extension this offseason at about $17M-$18M per. He is still under contract in 2025 at $1M. It’d be smart of him to get his money a year early. And the Bills would get him a little cheaper too. 

[DCofNC]

5 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

His explosion and acceleraton is good. It isn't just size. And actually he is really good 1v1. 

 

If he was as you describe him, I'd move him. But he isn't. So I'm paying him.

 

5 hours ago, YattaOkasan said:

Slow is not a fact and is really a silly take.  Dane Jackson is slow, Benford aint.  Hes more athletic than Tre so you were against that contract?  Heck which CB contracts do you like cause there arent many one on one lock down corners out there (everyone plays majority zone).  what is a good return?  The NFL GMs generally agree that a guy with these type of measurables and on the field performance is worth a fairly big second contract. 

 

Agree McD has coached up a lot of guys, but they mostly dont have Benford's measurables so I would keep him.  Dude is also super smart and is a dog.  Hes truely a joy to watch and youre take of him being expendable is just funny.    

We’ll agree to disagree, he’s very good, but he’s not an elite athlete.  McD routinely takes late round corners and makes them look great, I’m not paying a guy 20M per, when his replacement will be next to free for 4 years. 

[DCofNC]

5 hours ago, RenoNVBillsfan said:

The ‘22 draft class may go down as one of the greatest ever in Bills history. Contracts for Bernard, Benford, Shakir and Cook, specifically. Really hard decisions for Beane to prioritize. You can’t pay them all, I suspect. Who would you prioritize? 

Benford is the only one I would consider a priority at all.  Love all of them, but you have to be real on what a team can pay.  Benford plays a premium position, but also McD makes diamonds from coal all the time, so personally, I’m not breaking the bank on him.  Bernard is a walking injury, he’s a baller, but availability trumps talent here. Shakir is my favorite player outside of JA, but you are looking at 20M for a sub 1000 yard guy, that’s a hard pass.  Cook is a RB, a good one at that, but never pay one unless it’s an absolute freak like Henry or Barkley (and even he’s a question bc of injury), so Cook will be walking.

[GunnerBill]

4 hours ago, DCofNC said:

 

We’ll agree to disagree, he’s very good, but he’s not an elite athlete.  McD routinely takes late round corners and makes them look great, I’m not paying a guy 20M per, when his replacement will be next to free for 4 years. 

 

See you are doing it again... Benford is atypical of the late round corners McDermott has a history with. The only thing he has in common with Jackson and Wallace is he was picked on day 3. As a talent he isn't even comparable. 

[BillsFanForever19]

1 hour ago, GunnerBill said:

 

See you are doing it again... Benford is atypical of the late round corners McDermott has a history with. The only thing he has in common with Jackson and Wallace is he was picked on day 3. As a talent he isn't even comparable. 

 

Thank you!

 

It's one thing to say that McDermott has done well to bring the best out of Late Round and UDFA Cornerbacks. And Benford falls into that. But that's where the comparisons end when it comes to him vs. guys like Levi Wallace, Dane Jackson, Cam Lewis, Ja'Marcus Ingram, etc.

 

Christian Benford is *immensely* more talented than any of those other Late Rounders and UDFA's. It's not even close.

Edited 8 hours ago by BillsFanForever19

[ghostwriter]

1 minute ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

Thank you!

 

It's one thing to say that McDermott has done well to bring the best out of Late Round and USDA Cornerbacks. And Benford falls into that. But that's where the comparisons end when it comes to him vs. guys like Levi Wallace, Dane Jackson, Cam Lewis, Ja'Marcus Ingram, etc.

 

Christian Benford is *immensely* more talented than any of those other Late Rounders and UDFA's. It's not even close.

Not by a little, but by a lot.

[GunnerBill]

5 hours ago, DCofNC said:

Benford is the only one I would consider a priority at all.  Love all of them, but you have to be real on what a team can pay.  Benford plays a premium position, but also McD makes diamonds from coal all the time, so personally, I’m not breaking the bank on him.  Bernard is a walking injury, he’s a baller, but availability trumps talent here. Shakir is my favorite player outside of JA, but you are looking at 20M for a sub 1000 yard guy, that’s a hard pass.  Cook is a RB, a good one at that, but never pay one unless it’s an absolute freak like Henry or Barkley (and even he’s a question bc of injury), so Cook will be walking.

 

Benford is the only one I'd definitely pay so in order of priority we are not that different. You are just wrong about Benford's talent level and the differencial to some other guy McDermott can find and get good play from. I'd be willing to extend Bernard but only on a shorter deal. If he will take 3 years I'd do it.... similar to Matt and Taron's first non-rookie deals. I think he is in a similar spot as they were.... non-premium position, has missed some time, but makes plays when he is out there. The Bills have ended up with all pro level play from those other two and I'd be willing to make the bet again with Bernard but if he wants a big 5 year commitment I'm not going there and regrettably I'd let him walk. They also did Milano after the expiry of his rookie deal just before FA and that would be my play on Bernard. I'm not doing it this spring, I'm trying to get it done next year before free agency opens. Shakir there is a level at which I'd be willing to do it, but it requires him leaving money on the table. If he wants north of $20m that is too much for any slot receiver not name Amon-Ra St Brown. Cook, like him though I do, I'm not even talking turkey with. I'm not paying a running back.

 

I think the Bills will sign the first three though. Cook I do believe walks, but I expect the Bills to retain Benford, Bernard and Shakir. 

 

The slight cap management challenge when your GM misses on early pick and hits late is it means any extension is a cost rather than a saving cap wise in year 1. The Bills would save money on the 2025 cap by extending Groot (which I also expect them to do) but Benford, Bernard and Shakir would all be extra money on the 2025 cap if you do them this spring. Think that forces you to stagger them over 2 years. 

[NickelCity]

52 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

Cook I do believe walks, but I expect the Bills to retain Benford, Bernard and Shakir. 

 

The slight cap management challenge when your GM misses on early pick and hits late is it means any extension is a cost rather than a saving cap wise in year 1. The Bills would save money on the 2025 cap by extending Groot (which I also expect them to do) but Benford, Bernard and Shakir would all be extra money on the 2025 cap if you do them this spring. Think that forces you to stagger them over 2 years. 

 

This is exactly how I expect it to happen. Groot Benford Bernard and Shakir are all retained by Beane, staggered over two years. I think McBeane absolutely love all of these guys. 

[BillsFanForever19]

54 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Benford is the only one I'd definitely pay so in order of priority we are not that different. You are just wrong about Benford's talent level and the differencial to some other guy McDermott can find and get good play from. I'd be willing to extend Bernard but only on a shorter deal. If he will take 3 years I'd do it.... similar to Matt and Taron's first non-rookie deals. I think he is in a similar spot as they were.... non-premium position, has missed some time, but makes plays when he is out there. The Bills have ended up with all pro level play from those other two and I'd be willing to make the bet again with Bernard but if he wants a big 5 year commitment I'm not going there and regrettably I'd let him walk. They also did Milano after the expiry of his rookie deal just before FA and that would be my play on Bernard. I'm not doing it this spring, I'm trying to get it done next year before free agency opens. Shakir there is a level at which I'd be willing to do it, but it requires him leaving money on the table. If he wants north of $20m that is too much for any slot receiver not name Amon-Ra St Brown. Cook, like him though I do, I'm not even talking turkey with. I'm not paying a running back.

 

I think the Bills will sign the first three though. Cook I do believe walks, but I expect the Bills to retain Benford, Bernard and Shakir. 

 

The slight cap management challenge when your GM misses on early pick and hits late is it means any extension is a cost rather than a saving cap wise in year 1. The Bills would save money on the 2025 cap by extending Groot (which I also expect them to do) but Benford, Bernard and Shakir would all be extra money on the 2025 cap if you do them this spring. Think that forces you to stagger them over 2 years. 

 

For me, it's Groot, Benford, and Shakir for sure. This offseason we do Groot and then one of Benford or Shakir. Probably Benford as I expect them to let Douglas walk and they're going to want to ensure they have at least one Starter under contract beyond next season. 

 

Bernard... I don't know. I'd want to see how the rest of this year and next year goes first. He's had some really great moments. He's also had games where he wasn't stellar and he's shown a propensity for injury. Personally, I'm not ready to say for sure we should commit a long term, big money deal to him yet.

[GunnerBill]

22 minutes ago, NickelCity said:

 

This is exactly how I expect it to happen. Groot Benford Bernard and Shakir are all retained by Beane, staggered over two years. I think McBeane absolutely love all of these guys. 

 

Groot and Benford this year, Bernard next year is a pretty safe bet I think. Shakir is the wildcard, definitely think they keep him, but when they do it might depend if they think there is a saving to be made by going early. 

Edited 7 hours ago by GunnerBill

[No_Matter_What]

22 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

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. 

I assume that you're talking about trading him you mean this off-season, right?

 

Do you really think we could get 2nd for him, or even 1st? I understand that he is really good but just wondering if there isn't some kind of name recognition thing, even among GMs.

 

It is a moot point though since I am 90%+ sure he'll get an extension.

[GunnerBill]

7 minutes ago, No_Matter_What said:

I assume that you're talking about trading him you mean this off-season, right?

 

Do you really think we could get 2nd for him, or even 1st? I understand that he is really good but just wondering if there isn't some kind of name recognition thing, even among GMs.

 

It is a moot point though since I am 90%+ sure he'll get an extension.

 

Yes it would have to be this offseason (or a tag and trade next season I suppose). You wouldn't get a 1st. Maybe you wouldn't get a 2nd either... but you might get a 3rd and something else. That was what the Chiefs did with Sneed. Got the 4 years of excellent play, tagged, traded and got a 3rd and a late pick I think. And the benefit of that over comp pick is you get the 3rd straight away rather than waiting a year.

 

Agree reality is it is moot. 

Edited 5 hours ago by GunnerBill

[Man with No Name]

Cook is really talented, but his value above replacement RBs is severely hampered by all those TDs he drops. If he had sure hands, I'd pay him.