How Buffalo's new young core is fueling the 2025 Buffalo Bills

Dive into why James Cook, Terrel Bernard, Khalil Shakir and Christian Benford were dubbed the new young core and how they plan to grow and evolve in their fourth NFL seasons.

By Maddy Glab

The Bills did something this offseason that's considered unique in the NFL. It's something teams set out to do but it doesn't always come to fruition.

Buffalo extended four players from the same draft class. The scouting department and coaching staff struck gold with the 2022 draft class – the scouts nailed their evaluations and the coaches succeeded in development.

Running back James Cook (second round), linebacker Terrel Bernard (third round), wide receiver Khalil Shakir (fifth round) and cornerback Christian Benford (sixth round) all signed their first NFL contract extensions this offseason.

General manager Brandon Beane is dubbing the four the new core.

"This is the new, young core that we're kind of putting our money into," Beane said. "Lead on the field, lead off the field. Be the kind of Buffalo Bills that we want."

Worthy of an extension

It's a challenge to extend that many from the same class because it's tough to hit on several picks, and it's not an easy fit in the salary cap. The uniform response as to why the four were worthy of continuing their careers with Buffalo – production and leadership.

"They've done some really nice things at their positions," Beane said. "And I don't think any of these players that we extended have hit their ceiling…Also, you want your locker room, the guys you pay, you want them to be guys that are respected by their teammates and be rewarded."

"The development from where we got them to where they are previous to the extensions has been really fun to watch," head coach Sean McDermott added.

The group has a ton of respect in the locker room and have shown they're improving every season.

Cook popped off in the last two seasons with two straight years of more than 1,200 scrimmage yards. He took the league by storm in 2024 as he tied for the most rushing touchdowns (16) with Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs. That's good company to be in.

Bernard quickly jumped into an important leadership position. He was named one of two team captains in just his third NFL season and was voted again by his teammates to be a captain just weeks ago. The LB has posted two straight seasons of at least 100 tackles and is known for his discipline and smart play.

Shakir rapidly became a target quarterback Josh Allen could trust. The WR led the team in 2024 with 821 receiving yards and tied for second with four receiving touchdowns. He also had the third highest catch rate in the NFL among wide receivers with at least 80 targets last season.

Benford didn't let being a sixth-round pick keep him from proving he was worthy of being a starter. The CB earned a full-time starting role in his second season. Since 2022, he has five interceptions and 25 passes defensed. He's known by his teammates for his commitment to the details and intelligence once the ball is snapped.

With success like that in such a short period of time, it's easy to test the market to see if there's a bigger paycheck available. Beane said it was clear that all four wanted to stay in Buffalo.

"All these guys that are kind of homegrown, you love it. That's the perfect way to do it," Beane said of extending his own. "…I commend all these guys for really wanting to be here in Buffalo."

"I made sure to express to my agents that I wanted to be a Bill," Shakir said. "Obviously, playing with 17 (Josh Allen). There is nothing like putting that Bills jersey on."

When it came time for the group to put pen to paper, all four felt like they made the best decision for their futures.

"It's nothing like it," Bernard said. "You put so much work and so much effort, so much energy into it, and to feel that feeling, it's very rewarding. It makes you want to double down on what you've done and to really improve everything that's gotten me to this point."

"It is a great feeling because you work so hard to get here," Benford explained. "You work so hard to be the best of the best."

Setting the standard

Working so hard to be the best has set a standard for others to follow. While Cook, Bernard, Shakir and Benford have leveled up their play, they've also taken a big step forward in their leadership.

"It just starts off with leading by example," Bernard said. "I was a young guy coming in, being named captain in my third season, so I think the main thing is you've got to do the right things yourself. You've got to put yourself in a position to be successful and set the standard for the guys around you."

Becoming a leader didn't happen overnight for Bernard. In his first season, Bernard only started in one game.

"My first year here was tough. I wasn't playing," Bernard said. "I wasn't really in the mix and then finding ways to get better on and off the field…try to become a leader of this team, a captain of this team, somebody that other guys can look to. That's what I've been trying to do since I've been here."

With time, the LB proved he could flash in Buffalo's defense and set a great example while doing so. The standard set by Bernard helped earn him the team captain label in 2024 and 2025.

While Bernard is focused on leading by example, Benford is challenging himself to be a better vocal leader this season.

"It builds a bond, it builds a partnership," Benford said of being more vocal. "If you express yourself to somebody, you're bound to become closer to them because you just gave them a piece of yourself that a lot of people don't know. So then, there's trust built."

Like Benford, Shakir is also amplifying his voice to have a greater impact.

"(I) was put to that test of stepping into more of a leadership role and being a little bit more vocal and not just a sit in the corner quiet guy," Shakir said. "I think I became better at that."

Shakir said he's been able to show more of his personality, which has helped him relate to more players. All four have grown in their skillset and leadership in different ways and they hope that shows their teammates, there's not a one size fits all approach to growth.

"The young guys can look up and see that all four of us have had different routes to where we've gotten and kind of different ways of how we've gotten to where we're at right now," Benford said. "…It doesn't have to look one certain way. It can be a bunch of different ways to get to where you want to get to."

Why a good culture needs a great core

The four had different paths to the Bills and to earning a starting spot. After signing an extension, they're home. They believe it's a place where they can truly be themselves and a locker room that's packed with teammates they can call brothers. It's all about the culture, and it's what helped them fall in love with Buffalo in the first place.

"This is the place that drafted me," Cook said after signing his extension. "The fans are good, the community. The team we have, we play as one. We're brothers."

"It's a great culture here, great family orientation here to where people want to continuously be here," Benford said. "They want to finish their careers here. They have a great foundation here. And you get better here."

Being named the "new young core" by the general manager means the four are now a big part of that great foundation. Their leadership, work ethic and play affect the entire team.

They understand the importance of that responsibility, and it's not too much for them.

"I want to reward them with how I play and how I show up every day, how I lead and really just who I am in the building," Bernard said. "I think that's where my mind goes. I don't really view it as pressure. I view it as another opportunity to go out there and play in front of great fans with great teammates and a great staff."

"We've all been working hard, sacrificing through trials and tribulation, making sure we prepare for this moment," Benford shared.

The trials and tribulations taught the group about what it takes to be a great teammate. And the reward of an extension allows them to be in Buffalo through at least the 2029 season.

The four all signed four-year extensions, and they believe there's a reason for that number.

"It just keeps the keeps the team together," Bernard said of the significance. "They put their trust in us, and they want us to be here. We know we want to be here. So, we have a goal to get something done and to win. We know we have a slotted amount of time to go out and do that."

Their goals are big but the trust they have in each other is even bigger.

As they look back on their time in Buffalo from getting drafted as rookies with dreams to earning their first contract extensions, they can't help but think about the growth and maturation. Not just as football players but as men.

"Me and Khalil spend a lot of time together outside the facility. Our wives are really good friends, too," Bernard said. "Life happens, and that's something that we talk about a lot. Looking back, the days are long, the years are short and so much happens within that time. I'm just trying to continue to keep growing."

"It's really cool because it's like you came in with them, now we just got paid together," Benford said. "It's pretty cool to see how it all works out and see how God spread the love in all of us."

As they all suit up for their fourth NFL season, they're feeling the love from their teammates and coaches.

"It's like a proud dad, big brother moment. It really is," Beane said of watching their growth.

"One of the greatest rewards is seeing the guys that you love, you care for, you want to do everything (for them), and seeing them have success, that's everything," offensive coordinator Joe Brady said. "…I saw them when they were rookies, and seeing their transformation and their growth, and then to be rewarded with the contract… I'm so grateful that I get to coach those guys."