After months of contract drama between the Buffalo Bills and their star running back James Cook, it’s finally over. Tom Pelissero reported early on Wednesday morning that Cook and the Bills agreed to a four-year, $48 million extension with $30 million guaranteed. Rather than getting $15 million per year, Cook gets $12 million but gets a high guarantee number.
Cook is the 6th Bills player this year to get an extension from the office. Per Adam Schefter, the Bills also extended the following players along with Cook:
QB Josh Allen - 6 years, $330 million
DE Greg Rousseau - 4 years, $80 million
CB Christian Benford - 4 years, $76 million
WR Khalil Shakir - 4 years, $53 million
LB Terrel Bernard - 4 years, $50 million
Brandon Beane has been all about paying the players he drafted and this is the most he has extended in an offseason, showing that he and Sean McDermott are all about draft, develop, and pay.
Not only does the Cook extension put away any doubts of his future in Buffalo, it also shows that the Bills’ 2022 NFL draft class is Beane’s by far based on this offseason.
Bills officially have aced their 2022 draft with James Cook extension
When you look at these players that the Bills have extended, four of them have come from the 2022 draft. Cook, Terrel Bernard, Khalil Shakir, and Christian Benford all come from that same draft class. All four of them are now part of the long-term future in Buffalo. Not to mention, the Bills also extended Rousseau, who was their first-round selection in 2021.
One of Beane’s greatest strengths that he brought to Buffalo over the years is his ability to find later round players who can make an impact. Like any other general manager, he’s had his misses. However, his hits have been fantastic and now it’s paying off with some of his younger players.