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New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Bills training camp 2025 cornerback preview: Old and new faces arrive in position shakeup
The Bills' cornerback room has been in a constant state of change over the last few years. First, it was due to long-term injuries to the best player, then it was a first-round pick not living up to the expectations of his selection, then the Bills moved out some long-term pieces, followed by some of their scheme versatility weaknesses on display in last year's AFC Championship Game. Advertisement The Bills at least know their mainstay is top cornerback Christian Benford, who they signed to a lucrative long-term contract extension through the 2029 season. The 24-year-old will be one of the keys to their defense, but around him, the Bills poured several offseason resources into fixing the position. With plenty of changes in the offseason, how does the new group look in 2025? Here is a detailed outlook for Bills' training camp. To put it bluntly, nearly everything has changed about the boundary cornerback room, but with a twist — what is old is new again. Needing a refresh, the team moved on from 2024 starter Rasul Douglas after his contract expired. Then, after three frustrating seasons where he couldn't get on the field, they traded away 2022 first-round pick Kaiir Elam to the Cowboys. The Bills still have their top cornerback in Benford, along with depth player Ja'Marcus Ingram, but they added four legit contenders for the 53-man roster to the group. Tre'Davious White and Dane Jackson are two of those additions who, combined, have 100 games started for the Bills in their first stint with the team, and each signed a one-year deal for 2025. More notably, the Bills invested their top draft selection into a potential long-term option at cornerback in Kentucky's Maxwell Hairston and added a late-round pick in Dorian Strong. The nickel room remains mostly unchanged, with Taron Johnson and Cam Lewis atop the list and fifth-round pick Jordan Hancock potentially working in there along with at safety. Can Maxwell Hairston win the starting job as a rookie over Tre'Davious White? One week before the 2025 NFL Draft, the starter opposite Benford looked much bleaker than it does today. Their top possibility then was Jackson or Ingram, and then everything shifted. It wasn't until seven days ahead of the draft that the team signed White to a one-year deal and then, a week later, used their first-round pick on Hairston. The team was very careful to say when they signed White that nothing was promised in terms of a starting role, likely knowing a significant draft investment was on the way. Advertisement Now, one of White or Hairston is likely the starter to open up in 2025, and you'd have to think that the Bills' preference is for Hairston to win the job. Hairston is unlike anything the Bills have had at cornerback since head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane took over. He is the most explosive athlete they've ever had, as they seek out a potential game-changing quality to their cornerback position, as opposed to just getting by as they had in some years. Hairston's elite speed can give the Bills more versatility within their defensive game plan, rather than having to really hope things fall into place with zone-specific corners when a game plan calls for more man coverage. The Bills know Benford can do both, but Douglas struggled in man, and for some reason, so did Elam. The hope for Hairston is that he can cross the bridge more effectively than Douglas and Elam could in the playoffs. White did show some improvement as 2024 went along, though, at this stage of his career, he's likely best suited as a backup option. He's also likely not as versatile to play man coverage after all his injuries, either. Though we've seen time and time again with the Bills under McDermott or Beane, if a significant draft pick doesn't do enough to win the job outright, they won't play. Hairston won't be handed the job and will need to at least match what White does in training camp and the preseason, but any tie scenario in the competition likely means Hairston will get the go-ahead as the Week 1 starter. Dane Jackson and Ja'Marcus Ingram Benford is the team's number one. The Bills invested draft picks in both Hairston and Strong. With White, 73 percent of his one-year contract is guaranteed, incurring a dead cap charge of $2.2 million if released. That puts Jackson and Ingram as the two most vulnerable to make the team because it seems unlikely at this point that the Bills would keep six boundary cornerbacks. Both players will have to prove their worth on both defense and special teams, and the more they can do, the better chance they have of being the one kept on the 53-man roster. But more might go into it than just on-field presence in the summer. Jackson would carry a dead cap charge of almost $600,000 if cut, whereas Ingram's is just a shade over $3,000. On the flip side, Jackson would not be subject to waivers, and if he doesn't find a home elsewhere, they could automatically put him on the practice squad. However, the one thing looming over this bubble battle is when defensive linemen Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi return from their suspensions after six weeks. Those roster spots are going to have to come from somewhere, and if there are no injuries, the fifth boundary cornerback might be high on that list. The reason why it might make sense to keep Jackson over Ingram is that they save a substantial amount on dead cap, and as a vested veteran, Jackson would not be subject to waivers until after the trade deadline. And also, as a vested veteran, his salary for the season becomes guaranteed after Week 1, so even if they released him to make roster room, that money is still his, and he would likely be far more apt to join the practice squad in-season with a year's salary already locked in. Plus, if they were to hang on to Ingram until Week 7, the chances greatly decrease of sneaking him through a waiver period in the season with only a handful of names for teams to choose from, as opposed to when hundreds of other players are available on waivers after final cuts. For all of those reasons, Jackson has the edge. Dorian Strong In the pre-draft process, Strong appeared to be a good fit into the Bills' zone-based scheme due to his instincts, recognition skills and tackling ability, though some of his athletic testing could have caused him to drop. Even though they already drafted a cornerback in the first round, Strong appeared to be standing out in the early sixth round, considering some believed he should have gone two rounds earlier. With that on-field background, Strong has a chance to be the team's next example of a late-round or undrafted defensive back who becomes a roster mainstay over time. And he also has special teams experience in college, which will surely help his place on the 53-man roster. If the Bills cut Ingram, who would be the one to take his special teams roles? Strong might be the answer to that question. Advertisement With his role as the team's top cornerback, Benford's days as a special teams contributor are likely over. White has not been much of an asset in that phase throughout his career, either. If Hairston wins the job, they likely won't ask him to play much, if any, special teams. That means whoever the team keeps as their fourth and fifth boundary cornerbacks needs to be able to give them reps on defense if needed, as well as core-four special teams potential. Jackson has always had the skill set to do so, and both Strong and Ingram have had experience in those areas. At nickel, Johnson won't play much special teams, but his main backup Lewis is expected to reprise his core-four special teams role from 2024. If Brandon Codrington manages to win the returner job, he could steal a spot this year. Boundary — Christian Benford, Maxwell Hairston, Tre'Davious White, Dane Jackson and Dorian Strong The cornerback group will likely come down to three players for two spots, which includes Jackson, Strong and Ingram. If I had to guess, since he was a draft pick this year, Strong has the best chance of the three. Then the decision comes down to Jackson and Ingram, and since the special teams piece Ingram provided last year can be replicated by either Jackson or Strong, the starting experience of Jackson could win out over Ingram. Nickel — Taron Johnson and Cam Lewis Johnson will be the starting nickel, and Lewis, for all of his special teams trust the team has in him and how big of a defensive role he played in 2024, should be on the right side of the bubble, too. For those looking for Jordan Hancock, he'll be in the safety preview, as that's where he may project the best for the long term. (Top photo of Maxwell Hairston and Christian Benford: Gregory Fisher / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Buffalo Bills CB Christian Benford deserves a little more respect
Kyle Crabbs discusses Buffalo Bills CB Christian Benford and how he was recently left off ESPN's top 10 cornerbacks of 2025 rankings despite his exceptional play on the field
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Drama surrounding James Cook on pause as running back shows up for Bills minicamp
ORCHARD PARK - The pause button was hit Tuesday on the drama surrounding running back James Cook because he decided to show up for the Buffalo Bills' mandatory three-day minicamp. And make no mistake what one of the key reasons was for his appearance, which is also the main reason for why he hasn't been in Buffalo until now. Advertisement 'I like my money. That's why I'm here,' Cook said following practice. The fourth-year veteran has been absent for all of the Bills' offseason workouts and practices as he protests the fact that the team has not offered him a multi-year contract extension, something it did for several players including three from his 2022 draft class - linebacker Terrel Bernard, wide receiver Khalil Shakir and cornerback Christian Benford. However, it really didn't make much sense for Cook to skip the mandatory minicamp and be on the hook for paying what would have amounted to around $100,000 in fines had he missed all three days. But beyond money, he made it a point to let everyone know that he's a team player, and that was also why he rejoined the Bills for the final segment of their offseason program. Advertisement 'It's my team,' he said. 'In order to win a Super Bowl or compete for a Super Bowl and have a winning season, I have to be out there and be out there with my teammates. Everything is business, so there ain't no hard feelings. I don't ever have a beef with nobody. Like I said, everything's going to work how it's supposed to work out.' James Cook contract ask could be as high as $15 million Cook, who is coming off two excellent seasons when he topped 1,000 yards rushing in each, and then in 2024 tied for the NFL lead with 16 rushing touchdowns, made his feelings about a new contract known early in the offseason when he posted on his Instagram account that he believed he was worth $15 million per season. That was quite a bold ask given that he made $1.5 million in 2024, and is scheduled to count $5.7 million on the 2025 salary cap. That ranks 18th among all running backs, with the Colts' Jonathan Taylor ($15.2) million the only back sitting over the $15 million threshold. Advertisement Heading into this year, only three running backs have a contract averaging at least $15 million - Saquon Barkley of the Eagles, Christian McCaffery of the 49ers, and Derrick Henry of the Ravens. When Cook went public, general manager Brandon Beane wasn't exactly thrilled, and it did not spur him to act. Instead, he plowed through on the Shakir, Bernard and Benford extensions, and also re-worked the contracts of NFL MVP Josh Allen and defensive end Greg Rousseau. Running back James Cook has decided to attend the Bills' minicamp this week. 'Love Jimbo, proud of his success,' Beane said at the NFL owners' meetings in late March. 'His reps and him put it out there that we did talk. It didn't lead to anything, as far as closing in on a deal and so we moved on to the guys that we were more on the same page with. Just because we don't have James signed today doesn't mean next year we still can't get him done before he gets to free agency. Advertisement 'We want him to have success, we're rooting for him, and we want nothing more, just like these other guys, than for James to continue being a Buffalo Bill well past this season, but we are where we are, and there's no hard feelings from us.' Since then, Cook has made a couple other comments about his situation. He appeared on a podcast hosted by former NFL stars Chad Johnson and Shannon Sharpe and he said, 'I just feel like we're deserving of it. Like, why not? We work all of our life to get paid. Feed me the big bucks. I want to go chase the highest of the highest and I'm going to keep doing it.' When asked why he decided to take things public on a couple of occasions, he said, 'It's just something that I did. I don't know why I did.' Coach Sean McDermott was obviously happy to see his No. 1 running back. Advertisement 'I credit James,' McDermott said regarding his decision to come back to work. 'Business is business. At the end of the day, I know he loves being around this team and the guys in the locker room and he loves to play football. So I respect his decision to be here and be amongst the team and get some work in today, and we're looking forward to that.' As for what this means for training camp and beyond, McDermott wasn't ready to speculate on the future. 'We're just taking it one day at a time,' he said. 'We've all been around this league a long time, and everyone has their own situations. They're all different, right? So I think, again, we need everybody to win, and we need everybody to practice. And so we expect James to be there and be there on time, but also understand his situation.' Quarterback Josh Allen, back on the field after missing last week's workout following his wedding in California, was also glad to have Cook back.. Advertisement 'I'm very, very proud that he's here and he's working as hard as he is being on the field with us,' Allen said. 'There are a lot of guys that wouldn't do that, but he's out there and working hard and showing everybody that he is here for the right reasons and hopefully (the contract) can get solved. I love Jimbo, I think the whole team does. He's one of the best backs in the league and hopefully, that can be reflected soon. But again, just props for him to be here and show up and show out like that.' Sal Maiorana has covered the Buffalo Bills for four decades including 35 years as the full-time beat writer for the D&C, he has written numerous books about the history of the team, and he is also co-host of the BLEAV in Bills podcast/YouTube show. He can be reached at maiorana@ and you can follow him on X @salmaiorana and on Bluesky @ This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: James Cook shows up for Bills mandatory minicamp
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills' First-Round Pick Predicted to 'Disappoint' in Rookie Season
Bills' First-Round Pick Predicted to 'Disappoint' in Rookie Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Buffalo Bills selected cornerback Maxwell Hairston out of the University of Kentucky with the 30th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but some are already doubting the young defensive back. Advertisement In a recent article by Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski, he puts together a list of this year's first-round picks who have the "potential to disappoint" in their rookie season, and one of the players he lists is the young Bills cornerback. "Hairston did deal with a shoulder issue throughout the 2024 campaign. Though this fact doesn't excuse his lack of physicality. Instead, it highlights his slight frame at a mere 183 pounds and how it'll handle an NFL pounding," Sobleski wrote. "The rookie will compete with veteran Tre'Davious White to start opposite Christian Benford. Hairston will get his far share of opportunities. When he does, expect some outstanding play and some head-scratching ones as well." Hairston used his speed at Kentucky to make his impact felt, but some scouts believe his decision-making is not quite as fast. But his stats in college show a bit of the reason the Bills took a chance on him in the first round. He played just seven games in his final season with the Wildcats, but his second season with the team was fantastic. He racked up an SEC-leading five interceptions, and he was also able to show his speed by taking two of them back to the house. Advertisement He might have to bulk up a bit to do so, but Hairston could be in a solid position to prove the doubters wrong and make an impact in his first year in the league. Related: Bills Predicted to Cut Former First-Round Star in 53-Man Roster Projection Related: Bills 'Staple' Tight End Predicted To Have Poor Season This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills Praised For 'Home Run' Offseason
Bills Praised For 'Home Run' Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. When it comes to assessing the Buffalo Bills' offseason, most gravitate to the things they haven't done - like extend James Cook. Advertisement However, it is worth noting that the franchise has done a great deal of good over the past couple of months, both by signing key free agents and by re-signing their young talent. Yes, we get it with Cook, but we also can't overlook how this roster is constructed and that a lot of young, promising talent have seen their futures be pledged to Buffalo. For SI's Matt Verderame, in his good, bad, and ugly from the 2025 offseason, Beane's ability to get most key players re-signed is definitely a positive. "This offseason, general manager Brandon Beane extended a slew of his younger, homegrown players, including corner Christian Benford, receiver Khalil Shakir, linebacker Terrel Bernard and edge rusher Gregory Rousseau," Verderame writes. "There's not a single Pro Bowl or All-Pro nod between the quartet, but each is a rising star at his position and Beane got them all on good deals. Advertisement "The only remaining question in this realm is running back James Cook, who has a year left on his rookie deal. Cook led the league with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024 but is still slated for free agency. If Cook re-signs at some point, that's another home run for Beane and the Bills." © Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images With a host of key players now locked away, the Bills can look forward to what they hope will be a 2025 season that ends in Josh Allen hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Yes, Cook and his contract saga have taken the edge off what has been a fruitful offseason, but there have been good strides made elsewhere with the roster. Advertisement None of the contract extensions were ridiculous in terms of money, so the Bills will be in a good spot, salary cap-wise, down the line. But while those deals were "home runs," there is still one more that must be done. Somehow, someway, figure out a deal for Mr. Cook, and this 2025 would have been as close to perfect for Buffalo as you can get. Related: Bills' Joe Brady Impressed With Free Agent 'Buy In' Related: Josh Allen Offers Stunning Opinion on Eagles' Tush Push This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
