Buffalo Bills running back James Cook has been publicly angling for a new contract with a big payday, and the ask may have just gotten steeper for the team.
Cook has floated the idea of making $15 million per season, an amount that would put him among the league’s best-paid running backs. The Bills have pushed back, with general manager Brandon Beane saying the two sides were not close enough to move forward on a deal and preparing to go into Cook’s final contract season.
But a new contract for one of the league’s top running backs could put more pressure on the Bills to agree to Cook’s number — or let him walk in free agency.
Derrick Henry’s New Contract Could Help James Cook
As SI.com’s Randy Gurzi reported, the Baltimore Ravens just locked down All-Pro running back Derrick Henry for a two-year contract extension worth $40 million. Henry finished the season with 1,921 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, leading a well-rounded offense in Baltimore.
While Cook likely won’t be able to match Henry’s dollar figure, Gurzi suggested that the big contract can help raise the floor for all running backs and help Cook get a bigger deal.
“Henry has a far superior resume than Cook, but he’s also 31 years of age. Given the fact that Cook is far younger, his camp will use Henry’s deal as the starting point, while angling for more,” Gurzi wrote.
“We can argue that Henry deserves more money, but that’s not how the market works in the NFL. When a star player resets the market, he does so for everyone. And Henry just reset it for Cook and every other star running back ready to get paid.”
James Cook Issues Uncertain Statement on Future in Buffalo
Cook, known for being quiet off the field, has followed suit in his approach to a new contract. The running back has said little publicly about his plans, other than posting some cryptic statements on social media hinting at his desire to make $15 million per year.
Speaking to Poker News at an event in Las Vegas, Cook would not rule out the idea of holding out while seeking a new deal.
“I necessarily don’t want to talk about it right now, because it’s like, it’s something I want to hold in to myself … just let the business take care of the business,” Cook said.
Cook added that the ball is largely in the team’s court, saying he understands the business aspect of the game.
“However it works out, it works out,” Cook told Poker News. “I mean, I just make sure the business is a business, and just do whatever I can to always be there for my teammates, and however it works out, it works out. And then we go play football.”
Cook turned in back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for the Bills, the first running back to achieve that mark since LeSean McCoy nearly a decade ago. Cook also tied Henry with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024, adding a strong rushing counterpart to Josh Allen and the passing attack.
