Underrated Bills player wastes no time weighing in on James Cook contract drama and sends a clear message to the entire NFL
The Buffalo Bills, once again, are front and center in the national media surrounding James Cook’s contract drama. Christian Benford had a few words to say.
First and foremost, Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford is perhaps the most slept-on player in the league. The (should be All-Pro) defensive player has cemented himself as one of the very best in the NFL, and he deserves more than his fair share of flowers.
Since joining the team as a sixth-round pick, Benford has more than shone in a Sean McDermott-led defense. Earning a four-year $76 million extension with the team.
With that out of the way, back to the James Cook controversy. If you haven’t been keeping track, it’s been a busy week for the running back. From skipping out on camp for “business” reasons to Brandon Beane opening up on his disappointment surrounding the incident, all eyes have been on One Bills Drive, and not for the best of reasons.
After practice at St John Fisher University, Christian Benford let his feelings be known to the world about how he thinks the James Cook’s contract negotiations are going, and what he would do if he were in Cook’s shoes. Ajay Cybulski, content creator for Trainwreck Sports, shared the video via X.
Benford was asked what he thought about the current contract drama with Cook, what the offensive player might be thinking, and how Benford would react if he found himself in the same situation as James. Benford, once again, proved why he’s one of the best both on and off the football field.
“I don’t know how it’s impacting James (Cook),” Benfort said. “I know he’s still working as hard as he can.”
Some members of the Bills Mafia might push back on this notion that he’s working as hard as he can, with missing the past few practices.
“So, I couldn’t really tell, like, how he’s thinking,” Benfort continued. “If I were in that position, it would probably be the same as I’m doing now, you know what I’m saying.”
The superstar cornerback let the world know how he navigates life and how he would personally handle the situation if it were him, instead of James. Benford claims he’s “working (his) butt off. I’m challenging myself to wits’ end, whether I got the money or not.”
Benford concluded, “If they gave me the extension or not, still going to challenge myself and give my all to the wit’s end. For [Cook], I don’t know how he is feeling.”
The latest reports indicate that the Buffalo Bills and running back James Cook are close in terms of contract negotiations after an offseason spent speculating over what his demands would be for his contract. Initially, it was rumored he was demanding Saquan Barkley-type money, but now it seems that the two parties aren’t far off from contract numbers, as The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported.
For now, we’ll just hold on and hope that the team can stay healthy, work out a deal with Cook (or make whatever decision they need to make), and then focus on the preseason. We’re just a few short days away from the team’s first preseason game, and we’re more than hungry for football to start.
Everything you need to know about the first preseason matchup
Here’s hoping that the James Cook drama ends sooner rather than later. With the organization set to be front and center on HBO’s Hard Knocks, getting some of this offseason drama out of the way would be wonderful.
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