Benford is outplaying 1st rounder Elam in camp (edit) Benford gets start

[Buffalo716]

2 minutes ago, Logic said:

Well said.

I mentioned previously that I think Benford came in more well versed in what the Bills' defensive coaches generally ask of their defensive backs, whereas a lot of it was/is new to Elam.

I still tend to think that Elam has a higher ceiling than Benford, but Benford is no slouch athletically, either. 

In any case, it seems like both players are getting better week after week. By the bye week of the 2022 season, I expect the Bills to have four quality outside corners on the roster and the "problem" of not having enough playing time for all of them.

 

I think benford has legitimate #2 upside 

 

but I think he could be a pro bowl type safety with his instincts 

[billsfan_34]

59 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

So far, Benford looks like the real deal.   One pre season game looked great but obviously a long way to go.   Very important because I don't think there is any realistic way Tre will be ready nor should he play week 1.  

We forget about Taron as well. Definitely let Tre rest until fully healed and game ready.

[Simon Says]

Interesting that, early on, there was talk of Benford eventually moving to safety. That versatility might come in handy.

[Malazan]

Regardless of who is ahead, it's likely it will be a mix of both of them opposite Jackson to start the season. 

[CorkScrewHill]

48 minutes ago, BillsFan4 said:

I’m not sure I’d say that. It would be a great problem to have if both were playing so great that you didn’t know who to choose.

 

Buffalo’s 1st round pick being outplayed by a late round selection isn’t ideal though.

I think people are looking at this wrong. The fact that Benford may be outplaying Elam is irrelevant to whether Elam is where he needs to be in his development. If Elam was outperforming Beneford but they both looked bad that WOULD be a problem. This is more like Elam looks good but wow Benford is really outplaying his draft position 

[Scott7975]

A spot that Elam definitely excels at is jamming the receiver on the line. That would have helped for at least 13 seconds last year. 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

1 hour ago, MJS said:

Training camp and one preseason game is not enough to make any bold declarations like Benford should be starting over Elam.

 

It looks like Dane Jackson is ahead of both of them anyway, right now.

 

Just have to see how things play out. But Elam was brought in partly because of his elite physical traits, something we were lacking at CB.

 

Excited for Benford and what he can bring to the table as well.

 

Yeah could be Benford understands things better so may be ahead now, but figuring once Elam "gets it" the superior physical skills will leap frog him way ahead.  Or he could become one of these guys who never quite gets it and is always held back by that.  Time will tell.

[msw2112]

34 minutes ago, BillsClinton said:

Nate Peterman, a 5th round draft pick, outplayed 1st round Josh Allen in the 2018 preseason. 

 

For what it's worth, Peterman had a year of NFL experience under his belt, including some game action, prior that preseason (despite the ugliness of that game action).  Peterman also played his college ball at Pitt, which (arguably) plays against better teams and more NFL talent than Allen did at Wyoming.  Nobody thought that Peterman was a better player than Allen.  He was simply, in the eyes of the coaching staff, more ready to start a game.  He clearly was not more ready to FINISH a game. 

 

Elam played in a better conference and against more NFL talent than Benford did, but they are coming out at the same time, so they have the same level of NFL experience. 

 

The "problem" with having a 6th rounder outplaying a 1st rounder (if that's in fact the case) is that the 1st rounder represents a much larger investment on the part of the team, as the team has spent a lot more draft "capital" on the player and is paying the player a much higher salary.  I trust the Bills coaching staff to manage the "problem" and it will be fine.  Based on what I saw in the preseason game, BOTH rookies played well against the Colts' first team offense, which is definitely a positive for the Bills.

[billsfan_34]

53 minutes ago, uninja said:

 

Also Elam gets drafted, shows up to camp and basically gets told "see Diggs, Davis and McKenzie over there? Cover those dudes"

 

Diggs has regularly made the top CBs in the league look utterly silly the last 2 years. We're expecting our first round pick to be prime Revis first day of camp? Come on.

Spot on

[HappyDays]

This development means we don't have to rush Tre back. I would rather hold him out a few extra weeks to decrease the risk of re-injury. The young CBs can hold down the fort for the first 4-8 games.

[RoyBatty is alive]

23 minutes ago, billsfan_34 said:

We forget about Taron as well. Definitely let Tre rest until fully healed and game ready.

Taron, one of the greatest  post season ply in Buffalo Bill history.

[FilthyBeast]

It's still way too early to draw conclusions, but this is consistent with all the reports coming out of camp that Benford looks like a real find and Elam has struggled consistently and doesn't appear to be close to being ready to start.

 

Hopefully it all works out but still think that the Bills panicked when they traded up to get Elam because KC took the guy they wanted (McDuffie who BTW has looked like a stud so far in camp/preseason for them).

[DCbillsfan]

44 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

If Benford is like legit, I wonder if Elam could play safety replacing Poyer next year?

 

I'm just making conversation....

I've been wondering the same scenario but reversed.  Benford as Poyer's replacement.  

[Wacka]

Remember Andre Reed was a 4th round Div II player.

[TheyCallMeAndy]

1 hour ago, BillsClinton said:

Nate Peterman, a 5th round draft pick, outplayed 1st round Josh Allen in the 2018 preseason. 

Annnnd end thread lol

[billieve420]

If Tre is not ready to go come regular season. It will probably end up being a time share with Elam/Benford opposite Jackson. Hopefully some growing pains early will pay off by the end of the season. Imagine we will be seeing both rookies on the field regardless even if Tre is ready to go as they ease him in.

[ddaryl]

1 hour ago, uninja said:

Come on.

 

28 minutes ago, billsfan_34 said:

Spot on

Right On

[C.Biscuit97]

Positive is a 6th rounder is playing great. Personally, I kinda started checking out of training camp/ preseason. Busy summer and honestly most of the stuff we hear about doesn’t really matter come through regular season.  
 

Imagine how fans would have freaked out during the SB years when all the players skipped and just partied the entire camp. 

[Not at the table Karlos]

1 hour ago, hemma said:

I wonder who gets Kupp.

Prob Taron. 

[Bobby Hooks]

Sounds like a good problem to have considering Elam looked very sticky on the Colts first stringers.