According to Ian Rapoport, things are “not great” regarding an extension between the Bills and RB James Cook.
“The James Cook situation in Buffalo isn’t great right now, but he will play for the Bills next year,” Rapoport said on The Pat McAfee Show. “I know the negotiations didn’t go great, but the Bills would still like to have him in the future. As of right now, they’re not in a great place.”
Bills GM Brandon Beane said extension talks with Cook are off until after the 2025 NFL draft. Speaking at the Owner’s Meeting in Florida, Beane said that while they would like to sign Cook to a long-term extension, it’s unlikely they’ll get a deal in place before the upcoming draft.
“I love Jimbo. Proud of his success just like these other guys that we got extended,” Beane said, per Matthew Bove. “I don’t talk about negotiations. I would say his reps and he did put it out there that we did talk, so I’m not sharing anything new. It didn’t lead to anything as far as closing in on a deal, so we moved on to the guys with whom we were on the same page. At this point, we’re onto the draft. . . . I don’t see us doing any deals anytime soon.”
Cook made some waves in the headlines this offseason after implying on social media that he is seeking $15 million per season in a new contract.
The $15 million AAV mark would trail only 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey among RBs, but Cook is coming off another season with 1,200 scrimmage yards, where he added 18 total touchdowns. Cook has been incredibly efficient since entering the league and has shown how dynamic he can be with a heavier workload.
Cook later addressed his comments on social media and expressed a desire to maximize his worth.
“I just want to get what I deserve,” Cook said. “I’m gonna stand on what I stand on. I don’t want to feel like a cancer at all ‘cause I don’t like that attention. That’s not me, honestly. I’m just standing on business, man, and what I deserve.”
Cook, 25, is the younger brother of NFL RB Dalvin Cook. He won a National Championship at Georgia back in 2021 and was selected in the second round by the Bills in the 2022 draft.
He is entering the final year of a four-year, $5,832,057 rookie contract that includes a $1,421,496 signing bonus and $2,391,590 guaranteed. Cook is set to have a base salary of $5.142 million in 2025.
In 2024, Cook appeared in 16 games for the Bills and rushed 207 times for 1,009 yards (4.9 YPC) and 16 touchdowns. He also caught 32 passes for 258 yards (8.1 YPC) and two touchdowns.
We will have more on Cook as it becomes available.
