The Buffalo Bills could be nearing a big decision on running back James Cook, who has expressed a desire for a big contract extension — while the team has made it clear they’re not finding common ground.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine identified top trade assets for all 32 NFL teams, putting Cook first for the Bills amid the uncertainty around his future. Though Cook led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024, he has not earned a contract extension and general manager Brandon Beane said he will go into the season without one.
James Cook Named as Team’s Top Roster Question
Ballentine noted that the Bills don’t have many holes on offense, fine-tuning their wide receiving corps after the departure of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis last offseason and shoring up other positions of need.
But the uncertainty over Cook’s long-term future could lead the team to consider trade offers, he wrote.
“Fortunately for Beane and Co., there aren’t a lot of questions for one of the best offenses in the league,” Ballentine wrote. “Josh Allen has proven he can make the Bills weapons work and the biggest potentially negative storyline revolves around whether James Cook will get a new contract extension or if we are headed toward a holdout.”
Cook has become a major part of the team’s offense, topping the 1,000-yard mark in each of the last two seasons — the first Bills running back to achieve that mark since LeSean McCoy. He unlocked a new aspect to the team’s offense, taking pressure off Josh Allen and the passing game and helping the team put together one of the top-scoring offenses in the NFL last season.
James Cook’s Uncertain Future in Buffalo
Cook added more uncertainty around his future in Buffalo earlier this month, when he appeared at a poker event in Las Vegas and spoke vaguely about his plans. Speaking to Poker News, Cook said the ball is in the team’s court but would not rule out the idea of a holdout.
“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’s contract situation may have gotten even more complicated after star Derrick Henry landed a two-year extension worth $40 million. As SI.com’s Randy Gurzi noted, the deal raised the floor for running back contracts and may have gotten Cook closer to his goal of making $15 million per year — whether that’s with the Bills or not.
“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.”
