Shakir, Benford, Cook and Bernard: Who Gets a Contract Extension?

[NoName]

According to and article on DC, all four will be free agents at the end of the 2025-26 season.  The article also says that based on Spotrac, the four players are projected to get the following contracts:

 

• Benford 4 years for 91.9 Mil or 22.6 per year
• Shakir 19.3 mil per year (it didn't state years)
• Cook 10.2 mil per year (it didn't state years)
• Bernard 6.7 mil per year (it didn't state years)

Based on these projections:

which order would you prioritize signing the four soon to be free agents and why?

Should the Bills resign all four? If not, who should they keep?

Edited February 14 by NoName
my bad

[Mr Info]

Why is Coleman listed in the title?

[dorquemada]

Shakir is a must keep piece.  Benford/Bernard if the price is right because otherwise you're just making a hole to fill.  Cook, i'd keep him at 10, but 15?  Seems like trading him for a pick and getting the guy from OSU would be the better play?  It's a shame because I like Cook but get that bag man

[NoName]

1 minute ago, Mr Info said:

Why is Coleman listed in the title?

oops...it should say Benford, not Coleman

[SCBills]

Bernard & Cook are the only players I’m comfortable with at that AAV. 
 

Dont love Bernard, mainly due to his size and fact he gets banged up a lot, but at that AAV, with Milano likely only here another year or two, I’m good with it.   Good player, just small. 

 

Dont really know what to make of Shakir’s valuation.  Hes very good but also very limited in terms of vertical ability. 
 

Benford for me is a no.  He’s good, not great and has been hurt every postseason he’s been a pro.  I think Buffalo will extend him, but at that number, I wouldn’t. 

[TheBeaneBandit]

According to those numbers I'm only keeping Cook and Bernard. If you can get Shakir down to around 14 M, I'm in. Benford is a system guy let somebody else Josh Norman him.

[Process]

19.3 for Shakir seems crazy. I don't think he gets near that. 

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

Shakir is a clear #1 priority for me

[Straight Hucklebuck]

I'd keep Shakir - even at that stupid price tag - because I don't trust Beane and his FO to properly replace him. 

 

I don't trust this FO to properly replace Cook if they used him in a trade, I think they'd draft a 4th-Rounder and Ty Johnson would become the lead back. At $10M - extend, I think that's a no-brainer. 

 

Bernard is a low number, so at $6.7M you're not tied to him. Extend him - the Bills have no pipeline at linebacker behind him. Downside is he will likely get injured again, and he's just alright.  

 

Wait a year on Benford because I would want to see how he returns from the two concussions he suffered at the end of 2024. If he gets concussed quickly into 2025 then you're happy you didn't extend him. I also expect the Bills to draft a corner high this year so you'll have that data point. At $22.6M a year you always have the Franchise Tag. 

 

So in order:

1. Shakir

2. Cook

3. Bernard

4. Benford

 

Also need to consider Rousseau. 

 

 

 

 

[NoName]

Here is my unpopular answer.

I'd say keep all four but if you had to let one go, I would let Cook go.  I think Cook is better at his position than the others but I think they could could draft a good RB in the first or second rounds. 

 

I think you have to keep Shakir. He's the best receiver they have and arguably Josh's 2nd best weapon. I think Bernard's number isn't too bad and he's the QB on defense so you keep him.  Benford would be my third choice and would rather sign him but could live with losing him.  

[Straight Hucklebuck]

8 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Bernard & Cook are the only players I’m comfortable with at that AAV. 
 

Dont love Bernard, mainly due to his size and fact he gets banged up a lot, but at that AAV, with Milano likely only here another year or two, I’m good with it.   Good player, just small. 

 

Dont really know what to make of Shakir’s valuation.  Hes very good but also very limited in terms of vertical ability. 
 

Benford for me is a no.  He’s good, not great and has been hurt every postseason he’s been a pro.  I think Buffalo will extend him, but at that number, I wouldn’t. 

 

7 minutes ago, TheBeaneBandit said:

According to those numbers I'm only keeping Cook and Bernard. If you can get Shakir down to around 14 M, I'm in. Benford is a system guy let somebody else Josh Norman him.

Yup - 2023 was unfortunate, but there we were again in 2024 and he's unavailable with back to back concussions. 

 

I think that changed things. 

 

$22.6M for a guy with concussion history? I'd wait a year and reassess. 

[Flip Johnson]

At those numbers you bring Shakir down a little bit and keep all four.

 

TB would be the easiest to replace if you had to part with one. Cook and Benford are legitimate blue chip players and Shakir is very good at what he does.

[GunnerBill]

I agree that coming off the concussions Benford has probably gone from priority #1 to wait and see. I don't have any problem with the number for Benford. I think if healthy he is absolutely worth that number. But the concussions in the playoffs are a legit concern. If he is one hit away from being done going into 2025 I'm not committing big money to him. I'd do Bernard if that is really the price - $6.7m AAV (I think it will be more) and I'd do Cook at $10.2m AAV (but I think that will be more too). 

 

Shakir at $19.3m is a no from me. 

Edited February 14 by GunnerBill

[No_Matter_What]

29 minutes ago, NoName said:

According to and article on DC, all four will be free agents at the end of the 2025-26 season.  The article also says that based on Spotrac, the four players (I typed Coleman by mistake, the title should say Benford instead of Coleman) are projected to get the following contracts:

 

• Benford 4 years for 91.9 Mil or 22.6 per year
• Shakir 19.3 mil per year (it didn't state years)
• Cook 10.2 mil per year (it didn't state years)
• Bernard 6.7 mil per year (it didn't state years)

Based on these projections:

which order would you prioritize signing the four soon to be free agents and why?

Should the Bills resign all four? If not, who should they keep?

You can edit the title...

[BuffaloBillyG]

30 minutes ago, NoName said:

According to and article on DC, all four will be free agents at the end of the 2025-26 season.  The article also says that based on Spotrac, the four players (I typed Coleman by mistake, the title should say Benford instead of Coleman) are projected to get the following contracts:

 

• Benford 4 years for 91.9 Mil or 22.6 per year
• Shakir 19.3 mil per year (it didn't state years)
• Cook 10.2 mil per year (it didn't state years)
• Bernard 6.7 mil per year (it didn't state years)

Based on these projections:

which order would you prioritize signing the four soon to be free agents and why?

Should the Bills resign all four? If not, who should they keep?

I would extend Shakir now. His price will likely only increase and we could get a better value doing it this year. I actually think he could be had cheaper than that stated 19.3M. 

 

I let Benford walk. Yes he's blossomed into a great corner. However the last few games and recently hired DB coaching seems to imply a shift from zone to more man. He's not the same fit in a man defense IMO. 22.6M is a big contract. Someone else will pay him handsomely. He would likely meet a 3rd round comp pick...and for a former later rounder....this is a heck of a win.

 

Bernard is a tough one. Flashed 2 years ago and this year I thought he played well at times but also took a step back. Was it injury? Being asked too much? Not having Hyde and Poyer behind him to help? Maybe a combination. But at 6.7M that's not a horrible price and at that number, I extend. 

 

It may be said Cook is at 10.2M, however it seems pretty well documented he's looking for more. If he could be had at 10.2M, I'm with it for a re-sign of 2-3 years. If he sticks at or near that 15M ask, I'm calling ing Dallas to see what Jerry would offer up...

[MrEpsYtown]

Probably none

[Alphadawg7]

46 minutes ago, NoName said:

According to and article on DC, all four will be free agents at the end of the 2025-26 season.  The article also says that based on Spotrac, the four players (I typed Coleman by mistake, the title should say Benford instead of Coleman) are projected to get the following contracts:

 

• Benford 4 years for 91.9 Mil or 22.6 per year
• Shakir 19.3 mil per year (it didn't state years)
• Cook 10.2 mil per year (it didn't state years)
• Bernard 6.7 mil per year (it didn't state years)

Based on these projections:

which order would you prioritize signing the four soon to be free agents and why?

Should the Bills resign all four? If not, who should they keep?

 

Shakir is going to get extended, Josh and the staff absolutely love him, and I think it happens this offseason personally.  Bernard if I had to guess probably gets extended, but he isn't as certain as I would have previously thought.  Benford and Cook are questionable based on contract demands.  

 

We all know what is going on with Cook right now, I have a hard time believing Beane is going to cave to his antics and make him one of the highest paid RB's in the league.  I mean he is a 2 down back who is a liability in pass protection to the point he comes off the field for a journeyman RB in Ty.  And he isn't doing himself any favors IMHO choosing to handle it this way and so publicly out the gate.  I mean Beane has shown to be fair to his guys and pay to keep guys that earn those next deals.  For Cook to take this approach now, this early, is just off putting IMHO and I am not sure Beane is going to appreciate these antics either.  If $10.2M would get it done, then yes, I would say he probably gets extended, but he seems to want a lot more than that.

 

Benford I have a feeling he is going to get a top 5 CB contract...and the question is two fold - Is he worth that and will Beane pay that.  I am not sure about either of those answers, but I do hope we can get a bit of a hometown discount and find a way to reasonably keep him.  

Edited February 14 by Alphadawg7

[jahnyc]

Shakir would be my first priority, but that is a big number.  Benford has been great, but as others have noted, if we move to more more of a man scheme, I am not sure he would be as valuable to the defense.

[eball]

I think the order of priority should be Shakir, Benford (if healthy), Bernard, then Cook.  Jimbo is a tough one...he's one of our only "home run hitters" but still comes off the field too much and has unreliable hands.  He's the odd man out if the money isn't right.

 

[BADOLBILZ]

 

Beane shouldn't extend any of them or the other candidate in Rousseau.

 

They are all just in an awkward position where they either haven't played to their capability yet(Rousseau), have concerning injury issues(Bernard and Benford) or play devalued/easily-replaceable positions(Cook as a RB and Shakir as a slot-only on a team with 2 other starter-invested WR who would be better in the slot and 2 highly invested TE's).

 

There is nothing wrong with waiting on the group of 5 extension candidates.   Sometimes that's the play.   And not extending ANY of them avoids any resentment or appearance of preferential treatment between teammates.

 

Draft replacements in these next two drafts where they will likely have like 20 picks over the two years.