It looks like Buffalo Bills' starter James Cook is surveying the running back market just like the rest of us.
ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter announced Tuesday that Super Bowl champion and reigning rushing champion Saquon Barkley would be signing a two-year extension with the Philadelphia Eagles. The contract makes him the highest-paid RB in the game, as he now hoists an average annual value of $20.6 million per year.
That figure makes him the first back in NFL history to make more than $20 million per season, clearing 2023 Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey's $19 million per year.
It was an unexpected deal that caught the attention of many, including a fellow Pro Bowl back in Cook.
One could argue that Cook is not in the same class as Barkley as a back, but he is also coming off a 2024 season where only Jahmyr Gibbs scored more touchdowns than him throughout the league (18 total scores).
Cook has shown to be one of the best backs in the NFL. A Pro Bowler in each of the last two seasons, he is also coming off of a playoff run where he averaged 112 scrimmage yards per game and rushed for three scores.
Considering the chatter that Cook has shared since the end of the season, it's clear that he wants to get paid. And rightfully so — he has outplayed the value of his second-round pick salary.
Some have tried to argue against his value as a back being able to command $15 million per year. But considering his play over the last two seasons and Barkley's new deal, that mark he has been pushing for seems more realistic now than it ever has.
