Written by Mykail Mereau
This offseason the Buffalo Bills have extended contracts to players like Josh Allen, Gregory Rousseau, Khalil Shakir, Terrell Bernard, and most recently Christian Benford. All of these players are the cornerstone pieces to this team and the keys to getting the Bills to the promise land, which is getting to the Super Bowl and lifting the Lombardi Trophy. But there’s one player that hasn’t gotten his contract extension like his teammates did during the offseason and that individual player is the star running back James Cook. The drama between the front office and James Cook over the contract extension has been going on for a few months now, let’s discuss on the topic of this situation in Western New York.
James Cook puts his house up for sale in Orchard Park
Days after Bills general manager Brandon Beane suggestion that an contract extension between James Cook won’t be negotiated anytime soon in the immediate future, led to the star running back putting up his house for sale in Orchard Park. Cook’s 2,090-square-foot single family occupancy is listed on the market worth $710,000. WIVB reporter Nick Vernonia was the first one to report this discover on March 31st to the real estate market. After the Bills season ended, Cook went on his Instagram account live and publicly wanted $15 million contract extension. Which that would put him second among his running back peers, and it’s risky to want that money for a position that has been devalued in recent years.
Will the Bills move on from James Cook?
While the star running back has put his house sale on the market, could this speculation that the team might move on from Cook after this upcoming season. During his eight year tenure as the general manager of the team, Brandon Beane has never signed an running back to a second contract after drafting him. The team could let him walk next year during free agency and go to another team and they could potentially draft his replacement. But Beane did stated that the open is still open for a deal to get done before Cook tests free agency in 2026. He said, “Just because we don’t have James signed today doesn’t mean next year we still can’t get a deal done before he gets to free agency”. It looks like an deal between the Bills and James Cook could get done at some point, but right now isn’t the time for an contract extension for Cook, with the team focusing on with the NFL Draft.
Would the Bills give another contract extension to an different player instead of James Cook?
If the Bills keep James Cook waiting for an contract extension, would they give another contract extension to an different player on the team like Bills center Connor McGovern. After taking over the position from former center Mitch Morse, McGovern has been the anchored of the Bills offensive line, that was ranked one of the best offensive line units in the league during the 2024 NFL season. McGovern finished in the top ten of the being one of the best centers in 2024. Just like Cook, McGovern is also set to be a free agent in 2026, but an contract extension for him could happened this offseason. McGovern’s previous contract with the team is an average salary of $7.45 million. An new contract extension for him could make him the eighth highest paid center in the league, between being in the range of $10-$12 million that would put him outside of the top five highest paid centers. Now if the Bills give Connor McGovern an new contract extension before James Cook, it could add more fuel to the fire with this contract extension drama between Cook and the Bills front office. But we’ll shall see if the Bills are willing to give an contract extension to their center before their star running back.
