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Christian Benford of the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills took some hits in their secondary this week, with a major injury that could create an opening for an unexpected rookie standout.
Starting cornerback Christian Benford was knocked out in Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers, suffering a foot injury and wearing a walking boot after the game. While his status for this week’s game against the New England Patriots has yet to be determined, one insider believes the Bills could give rookie Kani Walker his first chance to appear in an NFL game.
Bills May Give Kani Walker His Big Shot
SI.com’s Ralph Ventre says the Bills could be in a pinch this coming week. They have placed defensive back Jordan Hancock on injured reserve,
“Undrafted rookie Kani Walker and former Division II All-American Anthony Kendall are the two true cornerbacks on Buffalo’s practice squad,” Ventre wrote.
He noted that the Bills called up Te’Cory Couch for this week’s game, but the versatile defensive back was used more at safety. If they need a cornerback to replace Benford, the Bills will likely move on Walker, Ventre wrote.
“From the looks of it during the preseason, Walker seems to be the next guy,” Ventre wrote. “He was initially thought to have done enough to make the 53-man roster as the fourth boundary cornerback. It also helps that Walker knows current Bills assistant coach Jay Valai from their shared time at Oklahoma.”
Another Rookie Cornerback is Big for the Bills
The Bills have already gotten some valuable contributions from another rookie cornerback, second-round pick Davison Igbinosun. He saw sporadic playing time in the rotation with Maxwell Hairston, and made some big plays after Benford got hurt on Sunday.
Bills head coach Joe Brady gave Igbinosun credit for a tackle that prevented a first down. After falling behind 10-0 early in the game, Buffalo’s defense picked up a series of key stops and allowed just two more field goals the rest of the way.
“Some critical plays were coming off the field,” Brady said. “There was one play by IGB that stood out, a tackle on the sideline. We say all the time, just take those chances. There will come a time when we will need that.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. He previously wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as assistant editor of the athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based in Rochester, New York, and loves all things football. More about Nathan Dougherty