4 Buffalo Bills who deserve a contract extension

The Buffalo Bills have an incredibly talented roster, and since the start of general manager Brandon Beane’s regime in 2017, they have done a good job of keeping talent “in-house.” With this in mind, the team currently employs several players whose contracts will be concluded soon; here are four bills that deserve extensions.

Even though he will be 30 years old when the 2024 NFL season begins, Rasul Douglas is the best cornerback on Buffalo’s roster. In the nine regular season games he played for the team after being acquired from the Green Bay Packers at the trade deadline, he threw four interceptions, broke up five passes and even scored a touchdown on a pick six against the New England Patriots.

It’s a risk to sign an aging player to a long-term contract, but when he’s of this caliber you have to sign him to an extension. However, it won’t come cheap. Douglas is currently in the final year of a three-year, $21 million contract, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he wanted a raise after his performance for the Bills.

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The Bills picked up former first-round pick Greg Rousseau’s fifth-year option in late April, tying the defender to the team through the 2025 season while simultaneously giving Buffalo more time to work on an extension . Rousseau has yet to fully burst onto the scene as a high-level passer, but he has become incredibly well-rounded, his form and toughness against the run seeming abnormal for a 24-year-old; according to PFF, he had his best run-stopping season in 2023.

Rousseau’s career statistics are not obvious; in three seasons, he has 17.0 sacks, 30 solo tackles, three forced fumbles and 12 assists. That said, he poses a borderline threat. Rousseau forces the play inside, which makes it easier for his linebackers and defensive tackles. These are all things that don’t show up on the stat sheet but impact winning.

If the Bills expect Rousseau to make a jump as a passer, it would behoove the front office to get a head start and extend him as soon as possible.

Special teams, special players.

The Bills have one of the deepest tight end rooms in the NFL. They have two solidified stars in Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid, but they also have a third option in Quintin Morris, a converted wide receiver from Bowling Green. Morris has demonstrated his athletic ability in previous seasons in passing situations and is a tough run blocker.

Morris diversifies from Buffalo’s other tight ends and adds value to its roster with his special teams abilities, logging 353 special teams snaps last year, according to PFF. Morris’ impact can’t be measured on the stat sheet, but having a versatile and capable tight end who knows his role on offense and knows the system can’t go unnoticed. His extension probably wouldn’t break the bank either; he just signed a one-year extension in March and, at just 25 years old, he’s a player worth keeping around.

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This is admittedly an early call given not only the fact that James Cook just completed his second professional season, but also the league’s hesitance to pay running backs.

But Cook has the potential to become one of the best running backs in the league. During his sophomore season, he had 1,567 yards from scrimmage (sixth in the NFL) and six total touchdowns. The Bills have struggled to find consistent, long-term running back play since the departure of LeSean McCoy.

Cook is the prototypical modern-day NFL running back; he, despite his size, can clearly be a workhorse and star back, which he showed last season with 1,122 rushing yards. He can also be a threat out of the backfield in the passing game, evidenced by his 445 receiving yards and four touchdowns a season ago.

He had some issues with his vision in the running game, missing gaps created by his offensive linemen. He also struggled with concentration, losing several touchdowns last season. If these issues can be resolved, Cook can become a top-five running back in the NFL.

The Bills have talent at all levels, so retaining everyone will be a challenge for the front office, especially as we get closer to the end of Josh Allen’s contract in 2028.