NDIANAPOLIS, IN. (WKBW) — Earlier this month Buffalo Bills running back James Cook posted on an Instagram live comment that he was seeking a $15 million contract extension from the Bills.
This of course sent Bills Mafia and the Bills social media scene into a frenzy over whether or not Cook deserves that kind of payday. Cook is among three other notable Bills who are set to become free agents in the 2026 offseason.
- James Cook
- Greg Rousseau
- Christian Benford
- Terrel Bernard
Khalil Shakir was among that notable free agent list until the Bills signed him to a four-year extension on Tuesday.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane spoke with reporters at the NFL Combine on Tuesday and addressed the recent demand from Cook.
"I love James," Beane said. "James speaks from the heart. He means well and I want him here like a lot of guys. The business is the business, would I prefer we don't take the business outside? Yes, I think that's always the best way to handle it. But just because we're not on the same page today doesn't mean we wouldn't be tomorrow, two weeks, two months, two years. We'll see."
Tibbetts' Take: This isn't the first and it won't be the last time an NFL player coming off a big year and heading into a contract season will do what they need to do to try and secure a "bag." It's tough to forecast how the talks between the Bills and Cook's agents will be until Cook either does, or doesn't, show up to mandatory minicamp. In the meantime, a deal could get done, but Beane made it clear they've got a lot of other moves to make as well.
You can watch our full one-on-one conversation with Beane in the video above.
