The 2026 offseason has been the year of the running back in the NFL. After several years where the league has devalued the position, we are finally starting to see a resurgence in the position. It started in free agency with Kenneth Walker and Travis Etienne signing big deals. And then, Jeremiyah Love was the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
But the biggest move happened on Tuesday when the Atlanta Falcons gave Bijan Robinson a record-setting deal with $51 million guaranteed. Not only is that the most in NFL history for a running back, but it’s $15 million more than what Saquon Barkley scored a year ago after winning the Super Bowl.
With Jahmyr Gibbs likely to top that contract in the upcoming days, it’s just a reminder of how well the Buffalo Bills did signing James Cook a year ago.
The James Cook contract already looks like a massive steal
One of the biggest decisions the Bills had to make last offseason was whether or not they wanted to extend Cook. Coming off a season where he led the league in touchdowns, Cook wanted a new deal and the Bills obliged. Buffalo signed him to a four-year deal worth $48 million with a reported $30 million in guarantees.
However, the “fully” guaranteed money came in much lower at $15.2 million, according to OverTheCap.com. While there is no doubt that Robinson is the better player, he is now projected to earn $12.5 million more per season for the next three seasons. That seems like a stretch, especially considering that it was Cook who led the NFL in rushing yards in 2025 and not Robinson.
Cook has been one of the league's most productive running backs over the last three seasons. He's racked up nearly 4,800 yards from scrimmage and has scored a whopping 38 touchdowns. While he's not quite as dynamic as a runner as Robinson, Cook has averaged 5.0 yards per carry during that span, which is among the best running backs in the league.
The Bills have plenty of issues when it comes to their roster building. However, they are at their best when they are proactive with deals and this is the perfect example. One year after signing Cook to an extension, he might be the best value in all of the NFL considering how productive he is and his contract.
Cook is currently the 13-highest paid running back in the NFL on a per-year basis and that will change again once Gibbs gets his deal. And there is no doubt that he is a top-10 running back in the league and is a threat to lead the league in rushing yards again this season.
Robinson deserves the contract that he earned on Tuesday. But this was just another reminder of how good the Cook contract looks and will continue to look over the next two seasons.
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