The Bills recently signed cornerback Christian Benford to a four-year extension. As always, the truth of the deal comes a few days later.
As to Benford, the full details have arrived. Here they are, per a source with knowledge of the terms.
1. Signing bonus: $7.5 million.
2. 2025 base salary: $1.1 million, fully guaranteed.
3. 2026 option bonus: $12 million (guarantee details below).
4. 2026 offseason workout bonus: $500,000.
5. 2026 base salary: $2.546 million (guarantee details below).
6. 2026 per-game active roster bonus: $510,000 total.
7. 2027 offseason workout bonus: $500,000.
8. 2027 base salary: $14.49 million, guaranteed for injury at signing with $2.5 million fully guaranteed on the day after Super Bowl LX and the remaining $11.99 million fully guaranteed on the fifth day of the 2026 league year.
9. 2027 per-game active roster bonus: $510,000 total.
10. 2028 offseason workout bonus: $500,000.
11. 2028 base salary: $15.24 million, $3.164 million of which is guaranteed for injury.
12. 2028 per-game active roster bonus: $510,000 total.
13. 2029 90-man offseason roster bonus: $3 million.
14. 2029 offseason workout bonus: $500,000.
15. 2029 base salary: $12.49 million.
16. 2029 per-game roster bonus: $510,000.
Of the 2026 option bonus and 2026 base salary, $10.25 million is fully guaranteed at signing. The remaining $4.296 million is guaranteed for injury at signing. It becomes fully guaranteed on the day after Super Bowl LX.
The deal also includes up to $5 million in incentives and up to $2 million in escalators. Benford can earn up to $1 million each year under this formula: $400,000 for four interceptions or $650,000 for five interceptions or $1 million for six interceptions. He’ll make an extra $500,000 in salary for 2026 through 2029 based on being named a first-team All-Pro in 2025 through 2028.
The four-year extension was initially reported as having a base value of $76 million. But that included the incentives and escalators. The true base value was and is $69 million. That equates to a new-money APY of $17.25 million.
The total value at signing is five years, $72.406 million. The average from signing is $14.4812 million.
The full guarantee at signing is $18.85 million, with a practical guarantee of $37.636 million.
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