Palm Beach, Fla. — The Buffalo Bills have handed out four contract extensions this offseason to players entering the final year of their contracts.

The one remaining candidate – Pro Bowl running back James Cook – apparently won’t join the club anytime soon.

Bills general manager Brandon Beane spoke to reporters on Sunday at the NFL’s Annual Meeting from the Breakers resort. He said the focus has shifted away from contract negotiations.

“At this point, we’re on to the draft once we got (Christian) Benford done,” Beane said. “I don’t see us doing any deals anytime soon. We’re going to focus on the draft and getting our cap in order.”

Cook has been vocal this offseason about wanting a new deal and making sure everyone knows how much he thinks he’s worth. One fan tweeted that Cook should be paid $15 million per season and the running back reposted it with the “100″ emoji.

The Bills and star cornerback Christian Benford agreed to a new four-year deal on Saturday worth a reported $76 million. Buffalo has also extended linebacker Terrel Bernard, edge rusher Greg Rousseau and receiver Khalil Shakir this offseason.

Beane said that he had conversations with Cook’s representatives earlier this offseason, but the two sides weren’t close enough to close in on a deal.

“We moved on to the guys that we were more on the same page with,” Beane said.

All four contract extensions that Beane negotiated this offseason have been widely praised by analysts for the team-friendly nature of the terms. Beane has always been eager to draft, develop and retain his players, and Benford, Rousseau, Shakir and Bernard all seem to have given the Bills a slight hometown discount.

“You want to have a place where people want to be there and they think that they can be the best version of yourself on and off the field,” Beane said. “So yes – had conversations with each one of those guys after our season wrapped up. Where do they see themselves, where do they want to be … you also want to see how interested they are and to their credit, all of them were like, in their own way — whatever they call me, Beane, or whatever it is — yes we want to be (in Buffalo).”

Cook tied the Bills franchise record (O.J. Simpson, 1975) with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024. He added size and ran with more physicality to help lead Buffalo’s offense to the second-most points in the NFL.

How does Beane think Cook will handle not getting a new deal?

“I think Jimbo is a pro,” he said. “We want him to have success, we’re rooting for him, and we want nothing more, just like these other guys, is for James to continue being a Buffalo Bill well past this season, but we are where we are, and there’s no hard feelings from us.”

Beane thinks Cook is going to come into the 2025 season hungry and eager to prove that he can put up big numbers again.

“He’d be showing us, and then obviously showing the whole league as well,” he said. “Just because we don’t have James signed today doesn’t mean next year we still can’t get him done before he gets to free agency.”

Bills coach Sean McDermott also met with reporters and was asked about Cook. He said he hopes every player feels wanted.

“I’m not involved in the nuts and bolts and the details of all that, but it’s my job to help them, hey, look, push through,” McDermott said. “It’s going to take care of itself. That’s the best you can do. These are humans living real lives.”

McDermott knows Cook wants to be rewarded for what he’s done on the field but he also knows there’s a business side to the NFL.

“Hopefully at some point they can all meet in the middle and everybody goes on and everybody is happy,” he said. “That’s what you hope and pray for. James is a good player. He’s been, really to me, it’s been fun watching him grow on and off the field and so that will take care of itself, but right now when he comes back, I’m just excited to see him and work with him and help him get better.”