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The Buffalo Bills are coming off another strong season, but did not have anything to show for it because the Kansas City Chiefs made it to the Super Bowl. Josh Allen did win the MVP of the league, and his play was one of the biggest reasons for their success last season. The Bills also have a few other players on their team who have contributed at a high level, but aren't getting the recognition they deserve.
One of those players is Christian Benton, who ESPN recently listed as one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the league.
“One of the tough parts of trying to identify an underrated cornerback is that the position's metrics are very inconsistent from season to season,” ESPN's Aaron Schatz wrote. “But Benford is coming off two very strong seasons in a row, which doesn't seem like a fluke.
Most people would look past Benford's production because he doesn't have the interceptions to show for it, but it's his coverage success that has led to his impact on the Bills' defense.
“In 2023, Benford ranked 18th in my coverage DVOA metric among qualified corners,” Schatz wrote. “Last season, he climbed up to fourth overall. He was targeted on 10.1% of passes when he was on the field, one of the lowest figures in the league, and he allowed just 6.1 yards per target.”
Benford has shown that he is one of the better cornerbacks in the league, and he should definitely get his flowers for the way he plays.
Bills' defense receiving praise from ESPN
Not only was Benford listed as one of the most underrated Bills' defenders in the league, but safety Taylor Rapp also received praise from ESPN.
“He also had a strong season as a tackler, with only four missed tackles compared to 48 solo tackles — one of the lowest broken tackle rates in the league,” Schatz wrote. “And despite mostly playing back from the line of scrimmage, he ranked among the top 20 safeties with 48 run plays (tackles and assists).”
Many people thought that Rapp and the Bills' safeties were underwhelming last season, but their defense ranked seventh in defensive DVOA on deep passes, and Rapp was one of the main reasons for that.
The Bills' defense should get more respect this year, and the hope is that they can help them to be a top team once again in the AFC.
