The Buffalo Bills don’t appear to be planning to pay running back James Cook anytime soon. The star running back is set to make $5.3 million in 2025 but wants to make $15 million per year.
Cook is coming off a season where he rushed for 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns (earning NFL rushing touchdown co-leader with Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs) for a team that made the AFC championship. The two-time Pro Bowl running back has not made an appearance at voluntary OTAs.
Someone else might pay James Cook
In an interview published on Thursday with Tyler Dunne of Go Long, Bills general manager Brandon Beane claimed he wasn’t worried about Cook showing up to OTAs. He knows Cook has to be in his best shape before the season so he can earn a new contract in 2026, and that might not be with Buffalo.
“It’s Phase 1. He’s not the only person that’s not here. There’s a few,” Beane said. “It’s a voluntary deal and I don’t get too hung up in it. I really don’t. You’d love for everyone to be here. Who wouldn’t? You’d love them to be around and start forming that bond. But James is working. I know he’s down there training in South Florida. He’s working.
“First of all, he’s competitive. And sure, everyone wants to get paid and he knows he’s got to still show he’s James Cook — the guy we saw — if he wants to get that pay day. Either from us or someone else. That’s any player that doesn’t currently have their contract extensions yet.”
The Buffalo Bills have a lower value assigned to Cook
Bean isn’t sure if Cook will show up for mandatory minicamp in June or training camp this summer.
Beane said they have a value in mind for Cook, but the fourth-year running back disagreed with the number.
“But we still put a value on (Cook) as is well-known,” Bean said. “We made an effort to make an extension for him. We weren’t on the same page. But we still love him and welcome him. And we’ve done that with other players. We’ve made attempts.”
After choosing not to take a receiver early in the draft, Cook has plenty of leverage before training camp. The Bills don’t have a lot of talent at skilled positions on that side of the ball besides Josh Allen. Without Cook, Allen’s job becomes much harder.
Whether it’s worth helping Allen out for $15 million per year remains to be seen.
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