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

[JohnBonhamRocks]

Not sure those numbers are close. I’d be out on Benford at that price but I would like to keep him. Shakir is a near must-keep, but dang $19M is tough. Cook at that price you agree immediately. Bernard same as Cook. 

[bobobonators]

I keep Shakir. He took a jump this season and it’s only going to get better. Hes so underrated. 
 

And that’s it in my opinion. Benford would be my next man up but I don’t think he’s worth that money. Hes solid but not a difference maker. 
 

I love Bernard but the dude is always injured. His frame might be too small for the 20 games a season we have to play now. What a shame we couldn’t put his brain and passion in Edmunds body. 
 

Cook is also great in this offense but we have seen all RB’s on the roster excel in this offense. The one game Ray Davis started he had +150 all purpose yards. 

[Jay_Fixit]

Bernard and Cook are priorities.

[frostbitmic]

1. Cook ... At 10.2M I'd jump on that, I think he'll be closer to that 15M per that he wants.

2. Shakir ... He's our best WR by a mile and I want him back, I think he comes in closer to 15M which I'd pay.

3. Bernard ... 6.7M seems reasonable but I want to see him play a full healthy year first.

4. Benford ... 22.6 seems way high but that seems in line with top CBs in the league. His concussion issues are concerning and the potential of playing more man Defense may make this the riskiest of the re-signings and I'd need to see a healthy year first.

[harmonkillebrew]

Groot should also be on this list.

 

But the only extension this offseason should be Cook and Shakir.  And I'd only do Shakir if it's reasonable.

Groot might be a good extension option, partially to bring down his $13.8M cap hit this year and to lock him up on something reasonable, but not free market crazy.

 

Everyone else needs to play out their contract to earn a new one still, imho.

[MJS]

That price tag for Shakir seems high to me. He has 1500 yards and 7 TDs over three years. He plays predominantly in the slot. I just don't think he will be paid that much. Maybe 15 per year?

[DapperCam]

Rousseau is a FA the same offseason, so you can add him to the pile.

 

I don’t think there is any way Shakir gets that much. Benford and Bernard suffer from the same issue, they are always injured. Benford has missed our playoff elimination game 2 years in a row.

 

Cook seems to have a much higher number than given in OP.

[nedboy7]

Why not cut them all and get some undrafted rookies and have Josh carry the team.  I been reading about how we got zero talent. 

[machine gun kelly]

Most of the guys on this list can be extended except Coleman as he just finished his rookie year except Cook.  Let him play put his last year, and then tag him for a year.  Then move on.  RB’s don’t last.

[Beck Water]

1 hour 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, dude.  Just edit your OP post, and it makes the title editable for you.

[GunnerBill]

Something that just struck me on this.... I think Beane has a real strong motive for his own professional reputation to keep at least three of these guys. 2022 was his best draft since his first one. He found four guys outside round 1 who we are all talking about here as being worth at least considering for big money extensions. 

 

Take out 2022. Look at his draft record 2019-2024 with 2022 excluded. From the 5 drafts that remain he has Ed Oliver, Greg Rousseau, Dawson Knox, Spencer Brown and Tyler Bass. 

 

Okay maybe a Kincaid or a Torrence or a Coleman can still rebound. But without that 2022 class there are not a ton of starters on the Bills roster that he has drafted since 2018 and even fewer impact starters.

[Ya Digg?]

26 minutes ago, Jay_Fixit said:

Bernard and Cook are priorities.

Well Cook was, but not now apparently because of…let me make sure I have this right….instagram I guess

 

at least that’s what the other thread told me

[transplantbillsfan]

1 hour 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 have the ability to change the title ya know.

 

And the answer is Benford. He's maybe the 2nd-4th best player on the team.

[TheFunPolice]

At those rates, pay Shakir, Cook, and Bernard. 

 

Benford is good but not worth that much $$ 

 

I want to pay guys that make plays. Shakir always makes plays. Cook always makes plays. So pay them. 

[SoonerBillsFan]

If Cook is serious about 15+ per or holding out, I trade him.  I like him, but he isn't worth 15+ per year. Someone said he scrubbed his social media of all Bills stuff?  Why do that?  He has been treated well here, but I guess its just the way now.

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

If Cook is serious about 15+ per or holding out, I trade him.  I like him, but he isn't worth 15+ per year. Someone said he scrubbed his social media of all Bills stuff?  Why do that?  He has been treated well here, but I guess its just the way now.

 

It is just negotiating tactic 101 now. I don't like it but I won't panic yet. I am totally with you tho. My line is probably $11-12m. More than that? Trade him. There is gonne be a good market for running backs after the success of last year's FAs and there are multiple teams with needs. 

[SoonerBillsFan]

Just now, GunnerBill said:

 

It is just negotiating tactic 101 now. I don't like it but I won't panic yet. I am totally with you tho. My line is probably $11-12m. More than that? Trade him. There is gonne be a good market for running backs after the success of last year's FAs and there are multiple teams with needs. 

yes sir.

[JP51]

I think I am 

 

Benford

Shakir

Bernard

Cook

[BillsVet]

This reminds me of the debate on Edmunds couple years ago.  Lot of people here said Buffalo had to re-sign him to a huge contract because they didn't have anyone else on the roster to fill the position.  

 

Didn't hear much about it after Bernard took the job and almost immediately showed that Edmunds actually wasn't worth keeping.

 

There are trade-offs to not re-signing players who have produced, namely the uncertainty about who'll replace them.  Mr. Wizard, Beane, has gotten away with re-signing their own because his drafting hasn't been that great.  But if they're ever going to get some cap room it's going to take not keeping all of your own and finding similar type players in UFA or especially the draft who won't get paid big money. 

[msw2112]

2 hours ago, NoName said:

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.  

 

I agree.  Running back is the easiest position to replace of the four.  Davis and Ty Johnson have played very well in their snaps an another RB could be drafted.  This isn't to say that Cook hasn't been excellent - he absolutely has been and I'd like the Bills to keep him.  I'm just saying that if the price tag is too high, he's the easiest to replace.  Sure, folks can point to Saquon Barkley as an example of difference-making RBs, but he makes less than the $15M that Cook is now "asking for" and I believe that as good as Cook is, Barkley is at the next level.  And while Barkely's excellence was huge for the Eagles, it was their defense - particularly the front-4, that ultimately won the Super Bowl for them.  If the Bills had that front-4 and Davis and Johnson at RB, they'd be just fine and then some.