The Buffalo Bills have handed out several massive contract extensions this offseason, which include players like Christian Benford, Khalil Shakir, and Terrel Bernard. And of course, they locked up Josh Allen to a record-setting deal, keeping him in Buffalo for the next several years.
But there is still one player that needs an extension, and that is two-time Pro Bowl running back James Cook. There has been no movement or news on a deal, but Cook did show up to offseason workouts, indicating that things haven’t completely turned sour yet. One of the reasons for a potential hold-up is trying to decide where Cook slots in compared to the other top running backs in the league.
Cook has racked up over 2,800 yards from scrimmage over the last two seasons while scoring 24 touchdowns. He is one of only six running backs to hit those numbers over the last two seasons, and yet, his best football might still be ahead of him, considering how few carries he has on his body during his NFL and college career.
In a recent article by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, he spoke with over 70 NFL general managers, executives, coaches, and scouts to rank the top 10 running backs in the league going into the 2025 season. As you would expect, Cook was featured on the list, coming in at No. 8. Here is what an AFC executive had to say about the former Georgia star:
"He's perfect for that offense, with a quarterback that spreads things out. He's good in the passing game, catches the ball really well, good in open space. Not sure he's elite yet but he's really, really good."Anonyomous AFC executive
It’s worth noting that one decision-maker ranked Cook as their No. 4 running back, just behind Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Jahmyr Gibbs. It’s clear that he is highly regarded around the league, and he has now risen multiple spots since this time last year.
The Bills are expected to get a contract extension done with Cook at some point this offseason, but there is a good chance that won’t happen until training camp practices have already begun. And you can bet that Cook’s agent will use this ranking to say that he deserves to be paid like Jonathan Taylor and Josh Jacobs, who are ranked in a similar range.
Cook is expected to receive a contract extension from the Bills at some point, and that seems like a wise decision. He only has 630 career NFL touches, and there is still a lot of tread left on the tires. And with his ability to win as a pass catcher, you couldn’t ask for a better fit in Joe Brady’s offense. Look for Cook to get an extension sometime over the next six weeks, as he’s proven that he’s one of the top running backs in the NFL.