Bills CB Tre’Davious White On Track For Starting Spot
The 2025 season will mark the beginning of Tre’Davious White‘s second stint with the Bills. The former All-Pro corner is on track to handle a first-team defensive role during his latest Buffalo spell. 
Christian Benford is entrenched as the team’s top cover man. Taron Johnson, meanwhile, is preparing for his eighth season with the Bills and another as their starting slot corner. The second boundary CB role has been up for grabs this offseason, with White and first-round rookie Maxwell Hairston competing for it.
As ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg writes, the last starting cornerback position is “White’s to lose” at this point. Hairston recently went down with a knee injury which drew fears of a major ailment such as an ACL tear but turned out to be an LCL sprain. The Kentucky product is expected to recover in time for the regular season, but his rehab process is costing him valuable practice reps.
Hairston has also been named in a civil suit alleging sexual assault during his freshman year at college. The 22-year-old has denied the allegations and has received the backing of the Bills since being drafted. Hairston could miss time through league discipline in the event a league investigation were to conclude a violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy took place.
In any case, White is on track to be counted on heavily in 2025. The two-time Pro Bowler’s first Buffalo tenure included high-end play when healthy but also a pair of major injuries. After playing only 10 combined games between the 2022 and ’23 campaigns, White was cut last spring and played on two teams last season. Immediately after the campaign ended, though, it became clear the 30-year-old was interested in returning to Buffalo. A one-year deal was worked out in April.
White is a veteran of 93 appearances and 86 starts. If he can remain healthy, that experience will be welcomed on a Bills team once again aiming for a deep postseason run. A strong starting campaign from White would help a Buffalo team featuring Hairston as a potential successor but also his free agent market next spring.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/6/25
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: LB Jimmy Ciarlo
- Waived/injured: LB Baylon Spector
Chicago Bears
- Waived/injured: TE Jordan Murray
Cleveland Browns
- Reverted to IR: CB Anthony Kendall
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: WR Isaiah Neyor
- Placed on IR: G Travis Glover
- Reverted to IR: WR Sam Brown
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Quintez Cephus
- Waived/injured: WR Johnny Johnson III
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: TE McCallan Castles
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: QB Hunter Dekkers
- Waived: P Matthew Hayball
New York Jets
- Released from IR: S Jaylin Simpson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DL Seth Coleman
- Waived/injured: WR Montorie Foster
Bills LB Baylon Spector suffered a calf injury earlier this week that ultimately cost him his roster spot, but he seems destined to ultimately land on the team’s injured reserve. Buffalo was quick to add Jimmy Ciarlo as the replacement. The former West Point captain spent most of his rookie campaign with the Jets, and he garnered auditions with the Giants and Patriots after getting let go by Gang Green in May.
The Texans added some depth at wide receiver in Quintez Cephus, although it came at the expense of Johnny Johnson III. The former Lions draft pick lasted three seasons in Detroit, where he hauled in 37 receptions for 568 yards and four touchdowns. Cephus was banned for the 2023 campaign for violating the league’s gambling policy, and he’s since had stints with the Bills, Texans, Rams, and 49ers. Following his first gig in Houston, he had a brief stint playing under Nick Caley in Los Angeles.
Bills Have Discussed Extensions With Connor McGovern, David Edwards
Set to return the same starting offensive line from 2024, the Bills are in good shape at these positions. They have Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown locked up long term, and right guard O’Cyrus Torrence‘s rookie deal runs through 2026.
The group’s other two starters, however, are in contract years. Connor McGovern is going into the final season of a three-year, $22.35MM deal; David Edwards‘ two-year, $6MM accord expires after the season. These walk-year statuses create questions for the perennial AFC East champions.
Although the Bills have already completed four notable offseason extensions — for Khalil Shakir, Terrel Bernard, Christian Benford and Gregory Rousseau — and are negotiating with hold-in running back James Cook, the two walk-year O-line starters are not out of the mix for new deals. Both players said (via the Niagara Gazette’s Nick Sabato; subscription required) extension talks have commenced, though Sabato indicates deals are not imminent.
Buffalo’s extension spree spanned a few weeks in the spring, with Benford’s wrapping March 29. That quartet clearly landed in the team’s first tier in terms of extension priorities, and all four agreed on deals outside the top echelon of their respective positions’ markets. The two interior O-line starters’ contract situations lingering into training camp, when Cook exists as a seemingly higher priority, points to at least one — perhaps both — playing out a contract year.
McGovern landed the better deal as a 2023 free agent, and he completed a guard-to-center transition after the Bills’ 2024 Mitch Morse release. ESPN’s pass block win rate metric ranked McGovern 14th among all interior O-linemen last season, and Pro Football Focus graded him 10th among centers. A former Cowboys third-round pick, McGovern has made 62 career starts and is going into an age-28 season.
The Bills as a team posted top-six rankings in pass block win rate and run block win rate, with Edwards also serving as a key presence. Two appearances in concussion protocol during the 2022 season — a slate Edwards managed only four games — impacted the former fourth-rounder’s 2023 market. The Super Bowl LVI Rams starter commanded only a one-year, $1.77MM deal, and he served as a backup in his first Bills season. Morse’s exit opened the LG position, after McGovern’s switch, and Edwards made 16 2024 starts. PFF rated Edwards 28th among guards last season; his final two healthy Rams years (2020, ’21) produced top-30 PFF placements as well.
McGovern talks began at the Pro Bowl (where McGovern was an alternate), per Sabato, pointing to the sides being apart in value. Though, McGovern did come up as an extension candidate in February. The center market saw both Lloyd Cushenberry and Drew Dalman land top-two center money — at the time of signing — during the past two free agency periods, and McGovern’s guard past would give interested teams options come 2026. The Bills also have 2024 fifth-round pick Sedrick Van Pran-Granger rostered at center as a potential contingency option; he is signed through 2027.
With Torrence likely an extension candidate next year, the Bills will have a decision to make. It is certainly possible only one of the McGovern-Edwards duo is retained, and the latter stands to be a more affordable option. This season also figures to be a bit more important for Edwards, as his career earnings do not quite align with his start count (61). Like McGovern, Edwards will play an age-28 season in 2025.
Elsewhere on Buffalo’s O-line, top backup Alec Anderson will be out for a stretch. The former UDFA underwent arthroscopic knee surgery recently, per The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia. The Bills regularly used Anderson in six-O-lineman formations last season. Classified as week-to-week, Anderson has some time to get ready for Week 1.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/5/25
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DE Justin Hollins
Chicago Bears
- Signed: TE Thomas Gordon
Cleveland Browns
- Waived (with injury designation): CB Anthony Kendall
- Waived (with injury settlement): WR Michael Woods
Dallas Cowboys
- Released (with injury settlement): WR Parris Campbell
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: G Lecitus Smith
- Waived (with injury designation): WR Sam Brown Jr.
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Dalton Keene
- Waived (with injury designation): WR Jared Wayne
New England Patriots
- Signed: DT Bryce Ganious, RB JaMycal Hasty
- Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): CB Tre Avery
- Placed on IR: CB Marcellas Dial, DT Jaquelin Roy
- Released: TE Tyler Davis
New Orleans Saints
- Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): TE Mason Pline
- Waived: TE Seth Green
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: CB Daryl Porter Jr.
- Waived: TE Kevin Foelsch
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- Released (with failure to disclose physical condition designation): WR Andy Isabella
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Anthony Tyus
- Waived: RB Donovan Kaufman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from active/PUP list: G Sua Opeta
- Waived: P Jake Julien
Dial, the Patriots second-year cornerback and special teamer, will miss his second year in the NFL after suffering a torn ACL. In cheerier news, Opeta returns to a practice field for the first time in over a year. The former Eagles backup lineman was hoping to compete for a starting left guard spot last year before tearing his ACL in the first week of camp.
Campbell makes his way off the Cowboys roster after being placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Injuries continue to be an issue for the Ohio State alum, who has missed 51 of a possible 100 regular season games over his first six years in the league and is set to miss even more this year.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/25
NFL teams are continuing to adjust their rosters to weather injuries and add depth with preseason games kicking off later this week. Here are the latest minor moves from around the league:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: OL Dan Feeney
- Waived: DE Kameron Cline, OL Rush Reimer
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: TE Mitch Van Vooren, RB Trayveon Williams
- Waived: OT Julian Pearl
Detroit Lions
- Signed: CB Luq Barcoo, CB D.J. Miller
- Waived/injured: RB Kye Robichaux
- Placed on IR: S Dan Jackson
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: CB Corey Ballentine
- Released: CB Gregory Junior
Houston Texans
- Activated from active/PUP list: RB Dameon Pierce
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Tremayne Anchrum, DL Austin Johnson
- Waived: WR J.J. Jones
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DL Nesta Jade Silvera
- Waived/injured: DL Josh Fuga
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: TE Chris Myarick
- Placed on IR: TE Jalin Conyers
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Nick Vannett
- Waived: OT Marcellus Johnson
New England Patriots
- Activated from active/PUP list: OL Vederian Lowe
New York Giants
- Signed: LB K.J. Cloyd, RB Jonathan Ward
- Waived/injured: RB Rushawn Baker
- Placed on IR: LB Ty Summers
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Michael Dowell, LS Zach Triner
- Placed on IR: S AJ Finley
- Waived: LB Seth Coleman
The Lions’ additions were likely a result of a shoulder injury to second-year cornerback Ennis Rakestraw. Head coach Dan Campbell said (via team writer Tim Twentyman) that “it’s going to be a while, at best” until Rakestraw returns to the field.
Ballentine returns to Green Bay, where he spent the last three seasons, after a brief stint in Indianapolis this offseason. He started six games and played 488 snaps for the Packers in 2023, but primarily contributed on special teams in 2022 and 2024.
The Giants are dealing with a number of injuries in their running back room, per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan. Only Tyrone Tracy, Devin Singletary, and Darius Miller are healthy, and the first two may not play much in the preseason. New York worked out a number of running backs on Monday, including Myles Gaskin and Isaiah Spiller (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson), but Ward impressed enough to join the squad moving forward.
Finley went down with a knee injury at training camp that is believed to be serious, pending additional tests, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson. Triner, meanwhile, will fill in for Seahawks third-year long snapper Chris Stoll, who is dealing with a back issue, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times.
Bills WR Khalil Shakir To Miss Time
Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir is expected to miss four to five weeks due to a high ankle sprain suffered last Friday, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
Head coach Sean McDermott said on Sunday (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter) that Shakir was considered “week to week.”
The fourth-year wideout stepped up after the departure of Stefon Diggs last offseason, leading Buffalo with 76 receptions and 821 receiving yards in 2024 and earning himself a four-year, $53MM extension this offseason.
With little more than five weeks until the Bills’ regular season debut against the Ravens, Shakir’s recovery will have to go smoothly for him to play in Week 1. He was the Bills’ most active pass-catcher in both matchups vs. Baltimore last season. He caught 10 of his 12 targets for 129 across the two contests, the latter of which was a playoff win that sent Buffalo to the AFC Championship Game.
The Bills have a number of options to fill Shakir’s role in the slot during his absence. Veteran Curtis Samuel will likely be the next man up after rotating into the slot in Buffalo last year, and offseason signings Elijah Moore and Josh Palmer bring some experience there as well.
The Bills could also roll out more two tight end formations with Dalton Kincaid or Dawson Knox split into the slot. Still, Shakir’s injury doesn’t seem so significant that it will require major adjustments to Buffalo’s offense this season.
Brandon Beane: Bills Still Discussing Extension With RB James Cook
James Cook took part in mandatory minicamp in June and participated in the opening practices of training camp. The extension-seeking running back elected not to take part in Sunday’s practice, however. 
That shift to a hold-in drew questions about whether or not it would continue. Indeed, ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg notes Cook is present for Monday’s practice but not in uniform. The Bills declined to offer a comment on the situation yesterday, but general manager Brandon Beane has since spoken publicly about Cook.
“I wish we weren’t here,” Beane said during an appearance on WGR550 Monday morning (via Katherine Fitzgerald of the Buffalo News) when speaking about Cook’s decision to hold in. “This is my ninth season here, we’ve never had a player miss due to a contract or anything like that, so that’s disappointing for me.”
Beane added he and the team became aware of Cook’s shift in participation shortly before Sunday’s practice. It remains to be seen if electing not to take part will bring about traction on the negotiating front. Team and player have discussed a deal throughout the offseason, one in which a quartet of other key Bills players (Khalil Shakir, Gregory Rousseau, Christian Benford, and Terrel Bernard) have each received second contracts. Beane noted communication is still ongoing between the Bills and Cook’s camp as the team looks to prevent a potential free agent departure next spring and the two-time Pro Bowler aims to become one of the league’s highest-paid running backs.
$15MM publicly emerged as Cook’s asking price earlier this offseason. Only three players at the position – Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry – are attached to a deal with that high of an AAV. That trio has combined to collect four first-team All-Pro nods and their respective track records outpace what Cook has achieved so far. At the age of 26, though, the Georgia product can be expected to remain one of the NFL’s top backfield producers throughout the length of any new deal he signs.
“We’ll see if we can get something done,” Beane said while confirming it remains the Bills’ objective to keep Cook in the fold past the coming campaign. “If not, he knows that we would try again after the season. So, just if we don’t get something done now, doesn’t mean that we can’t get it before he’s a free agent.”
Time still remains for a deal to be struck, but in the absence of an extension Cook’s willingness to suit up without a new pact – along with his performances, of course – would become a major Bills storyline for 2025. As the team prepares for its latest bid to reach the Super Bowl, this situation remains one worth monitoring.
Bills RB James Cook Holding In?
5:00pm: NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero notes (video link) Cook’s camp and the Bills have remained in consistent contact regarding extension talks, adding that the parties are not believed to be far apart. That makes today’s move somewhat surprising, and it remains to be seen whether the nature of negotiations will shift in the near future and whether missed regular season action becomes a real possibility.
12:43pm: Bills running back James Cook is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is seeking a lucrative extension. However, he fully participated in Buffalo’s first training camp practice, and reports at the time indicated he would continue to do so and would not ‘hold in.’ 
That appears to have changed. Cook did not practice on Sunday, and when asked why, he simply replied, “business” (via ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg). When asked if he would practice Monday, he answered, “business.” Per Getzenberg, he kept repeating the word “business” in response to follow-up questions. The team, meanwhile, indicated it has no comment on the matter, per Getzenberg.
Prior reports suggested the Bills and Cook were still discussing a new deal, although we had also heard there was little traction in negotiations since Cook’s asking price of $15MM per year became public. That AAV would place Cook in a third-place tie with Derrick Henry in the league’s running back hierarchy, and while Cook (26 in September) is over five years younger than Henry with considerably less mileage on his odometer, he does not have nearly the same track record as a game-changing talent.
Still, since taking over as the Bills’ RB1 in 2023, Cook has earned two Pro Bowl nods and has averaged an impressive 4.8 yards per carry across 444 totes. He has also demonstrated a nose for the end zone, recording a league-high 16 rushing touchdowns last season as part of a Buffalo offense that finished 10th in yards and second in scoring. He is therefore justified in making a big ask, and it is unclear whether his apparent new stance reflects some sort of regression in contract talks.
The Bills have busy on the extension front this offseason. The likes of Khalil Shakir, Gregory Rousseau, Christian Benford, and Terrel Bernard have each received lucrative second contracts keeping them in Buffalo for the foreseeable future. General manager Brandon Beane has previously suggested Cook would need to replicate his previous production from the 2024 campaign before the team makes a similar commitment to him, however. Today’s development is another sign that could be the case.
In addition to Cook, Buffalo has veteran Ty Johnson and 2024 fourth-rounder Ray Davis set to return in the backfield. The presence of those two as depth options could once again prevent Cook from handling a true three-down role this season, something which would in turn hinder his market value on a second Bills pact or one sending him to a new team.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/1/25
Here are the first minor NFL moves in August:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived (with injury settlement): CB Jaden Davis
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Grayland Arnold
Buffalo Bills
- Reverted to IR: DE Hayden Harris
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Keenan Isaac
- Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): T Sebastian Gutierrez
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Garret Wallow
- Waived: CB Mario Goodrich
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Chris Lammons
- Released: CB Corey Ballentine
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: T Ricky Lee
- Waived: WR Louis Rees-Zammit (story)
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: CB Ajani Carter, CB Azizi Hearn, WR Key’Shawn Smith
- Waived (with injury designation): CB Darius Rush, CB Eric Scott Jr.
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: QB Brett Gabbert
- Placed on IR: CB Kader Kohou (story)
Minnesota Vikings
- Reverted to IR: DE Alex Williams
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived (with injury settlement): OL Marcus Tate
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DT Kyler Baugh
- Waived (with injury designation): DT Jacob Slade
- Waived (with injury settlement): OLB Jeremiah Moon
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from active/PUP list: LB Curtis Robinson
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Reverted to IR: S Marcus Banks, RB D.J. Williams
Washington Commanders
- Signed: Braylon Sanders
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/31/25
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Henry Black
- Waived: WR Makai Polk
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DE Kameron Cline
- Waived/injured: DE Hayden Harris
- Activated from active/PUP: RT Spencer Brown
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Chase Cota
Denver Broncos
- Signed: LB Garrett Nelson
- Reverted to IR: LB Johnny Walker
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Tre Herndon, CB Duke Shelley
- Released: TE Albert Okwuegbunam
- Placed on IR: CB David Long Jr.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Activated from active/PUP: LB Dennis Gardeck
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: OL Matt Nelson
- Waived/injured: DE Alex Williams
New England Patriots
- Activated from active/PUP: WR Mack Hollins
- Placed on IR: OT Yasir Durant
New Orleans Saints
-
- Signed: P Kai Kroeger
- Waived: QB Hunter Dekkers
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Activated from active/NFI: G Isaac Seumalo
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: QB Carter Bradley, WR Marquez Callaway, WR Andy Isabella
- Released: WR Equanimeous St. Brown
- Waived: OL Sebastian Gutierrez, WR Malik Knowles, S Jaylen Mahoney
- Activated from active/NFI: OL Ben Bartch
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Keydrain Calligan
- Waived: DT Thor Griffith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Jaden Smith
- Waived/injured: S Marcus Banks, RB D.J. Williams
Washington Commanders
- Activated from active/NFI: OL Tim McKay
The Colts added some experienced cornerback depth today in Tre Herndon and Duke Shelley. Herndon had a long stint in Jacksonville, starting 34 of his 83 appearances with the organization. Shelley has bounced around the league a bit, with his longest stint coming in Chicago between 2019 and 2021. Both players were limited to one appearance each during the 2024 campaign.
The 49ers made a long list of moves today, most notably to their wide receiver depth. Marquez Callaway was limited to two games in Tampa Bay last season, but he compiled 698 receiving yards and six touchdowns as recently as 2021. Andy Isabella has only gotten into 13 total games over the past four years, hauling in five receptions over that span. They’ll be taking the roster spots previously held by former Bears starter Equanimeous St. Brown and former Kansas State standout Malik Knowles.