The Buffalo Bills have been very proactive this offseason when it comes to extending their own players ahead of free agency. Khalil Shakir, Christian Benford, and Josh Allen are just a few examples of players who received extensions this offseason before their current deals expired and that is generally a good idea in the NFL.
However, there is one player who remains without a deal, and this is now becoming an issue: James Cook. Coming off the best year of his career, Cook would like to earn a second contract that is comparable to his peers. He scored 18 touchdowns last season and has now totaled over 1,200 yards from scrimmage in back-to-back seasons. But how much is Cook worth to the Bills, and what is the right number for a possible extension? That is the question looming over Buffalo right now.
In a recent article by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, he discussed some of the challenges that the Bills are going through with the Cook extension and why a shorter deal might be the play for both sides. He mentioned the recent contract for Derrick Henry, which was a two-year deal that gave him a big raise. Here is a snippet of why Breer believes Henry’s deal could look similar for Cook:
"(Derrick) Henry’s contract could be one comp. He had one year left at $7 million going into this offseason. The Ravens, as part of a two-year extension, gave him a $7 million raise for this year and $11 million fully guaranteed next year, with a de facto $12 million team option in 2027. Cook is under contract at $5.7 million for this year, so it’s feasible to look at it and say such a short-term extension could work for everyone—and Cook would be up for a new deal again at 28."Albert Breer, SI
Breer mentioned Josh Jacobs as another potential comp for Cook, but the fact that he led the NFL in rushing yards and yards from scrimmage during the 2022 season will make it hard for Cook's camp to argue that he deserves that deal. Henry's contract, even at his age, is likely a better comparison for Cook and what he deserves on his next deal.
The biggest difference between Derrick Henry and James Cook is age, as Cook is six years younger. And in the NFL, age matters a ton for running backs as teams generally don’t like to give deals to players beyond the age of 25. Cook doesn’t turn 26 until the start of the 2025 season, and he doesn’t have a ton of wear-and-tear on his body.
In fact, Cook has just 630 career touches in the NFL and had just 297 total during his Georgia career. That’s just 927 career touches over the last seven seasons (since 2018), and it’s easy to see why the Bills should feel confident about him holding up during his next contract. Just to put those touches in perspective, Ashton Jeanty, the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, had 830 touches over the last three seasons at Boise State!
Cook is a big part of Buffalo’s offense, and it’s vital that they get a deal done soon. But the Bills have to be careful not to overpay a running back, considering how replaceable that position has been over the last decade. Cook is a good player, and his best football might be ahead of him, but doing a shorter deal might be the right solution for both sides.