All the great teams in the NFL always face one major challenge at some point: Trying to retain their best players. Some teams are successful, but most of them aren’t. I mean, look at what the Cincinnati Bengals are going through. They made the decision to extend both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to keep their passing attack, but they are going through a major contract drama session with the only defensive star, Trey Hendrickson.
The Buffalo Bills are usually a team that is good at keeping business within the building and not out in the public. However, that has not been the case with their star running back in James Cook. Right after the Bills were knocked out of the playoffs last season, Cook, along with his older brother Dalvin Cook, have not been quiet at all about a contract extension.
Cook has not been shy at all with saying that he wants $15 million per year which would put him as one of the highest paid running backs, along with Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, and Derrick Henry. Cook’s consistent comments about wanting to get paid this much has created a debate within Bills Mafia on whether or not he should get paid, or play out the final year of his rookie contract.
NFL Insider gives his thoughts on contract situation with James Cook
We had the opportunity to ask NFL Insider Albert Breer via his NFL Mailbag article about the Cook contract drama, specifically “Do you expect a James Cook contract solution to happen anytime soon?” Here's what Breer had to say:
"I do think that Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley might help define the market a bit for James Cook. Those guys are obviously different players, but can create a reasonable ceiling for what Cook will make. I’d think something in the $15 million per year neighborhood would be reasonable for everyone involved."Albert Breer, SI
So, it looks like Breer doesn’t think that the “neighborhood” of $15 million per year is too much. He’s not wrong.
When you rush for back-to-back 1,000+ yard seasons and were tied for the most rushing touchdowns in 2024 (16), you have a case as to why you should be paid. Now, others may argue the fact that Cook isn’t a three-down back and that Buffalo already has a star in Josh Allen who can run the ball as well.
The fact that he still managed to rush for over 1,000 yards, being involved in a true running back committee with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson is impressive. When it comes to the Allen factor, the Bills need more than just him for this offense to be successful. We talk about how Buffalo’s offense took a step forward last season despite the losses they had the prior offseason. Well, Cook played a major role in that step forward.