As the months grow long and the 2025 NFL Draft draws closer, the lone drama of the Buffalo Bills offseason continues to produce controversy. James Cook, the Bills' star running back, is due for a contract extension, but he and Buffalo are not close to a new contract yet.
From a post early in the offseason, Cook claimed that he was seeking $15m per season on a new deal. That would make him the third-highest paid running back in the NFL.
James Cook absent from OTAs
Though there's been no talk of a holdout, RB James Cook has not reported to optional team activities for the first time in his career. It's no great surprise. That new contract he's expecting would be the first of his career, and secure wealth for him for the rest of his life. It's understandable that he'd play these negotiations by the book.
But, after over two months without progress, has his asking price gone up? If you ask his brother, four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook, the answer is yes.
Dalvin Cook Speaks Out
Dalvin Cook has been a huge influence on his younger brother over these last few seasons, and that's usually a good thing for the Buffalo Bills. This time, it may not be for the best.
$20M per 💯💯 https://t.co/T8mZJA8QGF
— Dalvin “4️⃣” Cook (@dalvincook) April 23, 2025
Following the announcement from ESPN's Adam Schefter, Dalvin Cook quoted the post on Twitter with what can only be perceived as a new contract mark. The total of $20m per season would make his younger brother the second-highest paid RB in the NFL, behind only Super Bowl champion Saquon Barkley.
It's not an impossible ask, but it will be difficult for the Bills to find a way to pay James Cook without sacrificing something on the back end. The team with prioritize other areas of their game above Cook, as they've already proven. If he continues learning at the Dalvin Cook school of negotiating, he may be in a different uniform this time next season.