The CB2 Battle: Who’s Leading It So Far?

Last off-season, the Buffalo Bills selected cornerback Kaiir Elam in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. With the selection, many fans and analysts were under the impression that Elam would take over as cornerback #2 for the foreseeable future. That hasn’t been the case so far. 2020 seventh round pick, Dane Jackson and, 2022 sixth round pick, Christian Benford showed they should be in the conversation too, as they took away snaps from Elam with their level of play. In fact, Jackson and Benford actually averaged more snaps per game than Elam during the regular season.

However, a new season is upon us, and the competition at the position is still there. It’s a battle that has been closely watched through training camp and the first preseason game, so let’s take a look at each player and what they can bring to the Bills defense.

Dane Jackson

Jackson has been in Buffalo the longest, so it’s only right to start with him. In 17 games last season, Dane finished with a 60.6 PFF coverage grade and 58.6 PFF defensive grade. His play led to two interceptions and ten pass break-ups for an 81.9 passer rating against.

Whether you like it or not, Dane Jackson has been a solid cornerback for the Buffalo Bills. He’s able to read plays well and that was evident in the preseason game. He was the highest graded defender for the Bills from the game versus the Colts as he finished with a 90.5 PFF defensive grade that came from an interception and an assisted tackle. Albeit this was only from five snaps in a preseason game, it’s still a good sign. Jackson has his limitations as an athlete, but makes up for it in other areas. He’s a serviceable CB2 in the NFL and should be solid when on the field for Buffalo this season.

Kaiir Elam

As mentioned, Elam was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. However, this didn’t guarantee playing time. After 14 games, he finished with a 66.0 PFF coverage grade and a 64.6 PFF defensive grade. In those games, he ended with three interceptions and one pass break-up for an 83.7 passer rating against.

The season was filled with ups and downs for Kaiir. From being a healthy scratch to stepping up big in playoff games, Elam went through a lot as a rookie. While Elam’s first season didn’t go as planned, he still flashed his abilities many times in 2022. His athleticism and ability to play press man coverage was on display throughout the season. He had some huge interceptions in big games down the stretch and continues to show he deserves a shot at the CB2 position.

Christian Benford

The 2022 sixth round pick surprised everybody with an terrific training camp his rookie year. This led to solid playing time, when healthy. He would finish the season playing nine games with a 58.8 PFF coverage grade and 55.7 PFF defensive grade. Despite playing the least amount of games between the three, he snagged one interception and three pass break-ups with an 89.1 passer rating against.

Christian Benford shot onto the scene his rookie season, as he earned the starting nod week 1 versus the Los Angeles Rams. He played well when he was on the field but, unfortunately, battled injuries throughout the season. Benford showed his ability to limit catches to short gains and get physical with the receivers. While it appears Benford could be behind Jackson and Elam at the moment, he has the tools to be a very good cornerback in the league and could push for more playing time.

Summary

As of today, it appears that Dane Jackson will be starting CB2 week one at the Jets. Although, there’s still two more preseason games to change that. Each player has their own strengths and weaknesses, and that could cause the Bills to rotate the three of them each week. No matter what, the Bills have options at the position and should be in good hands no matter who is opposite Tre’Davious White.