The Bills can point to the pass rush and feel good about one part of the defense. Greg Rousseau has been a real problem for offenses, and his six sacks through three weeks lead the NFL. But that surge up front is starting to cover for a secondary that has real issues brewing, especially with Christian Benford stumbling and Buffalo’s corner depth getting squeezed.
Benford’s start has been rough. Through three games, he has given up 12 catches in coverage, according to PFF, and opponents have posted a 124.4 passer rating when throwing at him.
His overall PFF grade entering Week 4 sat at 40.6, which ranked 97th out of 99 qualified cornerbacks. That’s a sharp drop from the preseason view of him, when PFF ranked him 12th among its top 32 cornerbacks after he put together an 87.1 coverage grade across the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
The issue is bigger than a few receptions allowed. Buffalo has asked Benford to handle more on the outside, and he hasn’t consistently held up when those chances have come his way.
Now the Bills have to deal with that regression while also navigating injuries. Jordan Hancock was already on injured reserve before the Chargers game, and Benford left Sunday’s win over Los Angeles with a toe injury.
Rookie Davisson Igbinosun stepped in and quickly made an impact with a pass breakup. Benford also missed Wednesday’s practice before Sunday’s matchup with the New England Patriots.
That’s a dangerous spot to be in, because Buffalo’s margin for error in the back end is thin. The defense has leaned heavily on the front to generate pressure, and while that worked against the Chargers in a 16-point performance despite five offensive turnovers, the schedule is about to demand more. Better quarterbacks are coming, and they’re going to look hard at the weak points in coverage.
After New England, Buffalo gets the Los Angeles Rams and Matthew Stafford, then Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes. Those are the kinds of opponents that can expose a secondary that isn’t fully stable.
The Bills didn’t make major changes to this part of the roster in the offseason, even with clear coverage needs. Igbinosun has given them some encouraging snaps, and Maxwell Hairston has been solid statistically, with PFF crediting him with a 74.0 passer rating allowed when targeted through three games. But the depth is being tested now, and that’s where the concern grows beyond Benford alone.
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Jessica Pegula Just Raised A New Bills Ownership Question
Jessica Pegulas latest comments offered a rare glimpse into how the Pegula family may be thinking about its future around the Bills, and it came at a time when the franchises long-term ownership picture naturally draws attention. The world No. 3 in tennis told CNBC she could see herself helping with the organization after her playing career, which is notable given how little public clarity there has been about what role, if any, she might take on beyond her current athletic path.
Her remarks also landed against the backdrop of her mother Kim Pegulas health issues, a factor that has shaped how fans think about the familys day-to-day involvement with the team. Jessica Pegula also said the family does not intend to sell its teams despite the soaring valuations around pro sports, leaving the bigger question less about ownership changing hands and more about how the next chapter inside the Pegula operation might eventually be organized. [Read more 🡒]
Bills May Have A Tough James Cook Decision Coming
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Cooks performance has made him a logical candidate for a future raise, and that creates the kind of decision front offices try to get ahead of before it becomes urgent. Buffalo may eventually have to weigh whether an extension now is the cleaner path to keeping him around, especially if his camp starts looking at the growing salaries elsewhere in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Patriots Opener Comes With A Revenge Twist Fans Will Notice
The Bills first AFC East test of the season arrives in Week 4, when New England comes to Buffalo for a matchup that carries a little extra edge. It is the kind of early divisional game that usually tells you something about both teams, and this one comes with a familiar subplot for Bills fans: the Patriots roster now includes several players who once wore Buffalo colors, giving the opener a revenge-game feel before the division race even gets rolling.
Reggie Gilliam, Mack Hollins, DaQuan Jones, Mitch Wishnowsky and Greg Van Roten have all spent time with the Bills, and each brings a different layer of familiarity to the matchup. Van Roten is on injured reserve and wont be available, but the presence of so many former Bills in a Patriots uniform adds another wrinkle to a game Buffalo already views as must-watch. In the AFC East, the margins are usually thin enough without all the added history. [Read more 🡒]