Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is seeking a contract extension worth in the neighborhood of $15 million annually. General manager Brandon Beane made it clear earlier in the offseason they’ve made no progress toward an agreement. It doesn’t appear the stalemate has sullied the relationship, though.
Kelly Skipper, Cook’s position coach, spoke highly of how the two-time Pro Bowl selection has continued to improve during his three seasons in Buffalo. Those comments came after the 25-year-old Miami native made an appearance at mandatory minicamp. He’d skipped the prior voluntary workouts.
“I thought the biggest thing to me was he improved his strength,” Skipper told ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg about Cook’s 2024 play. “He was able to break more tackles, run physical, so his whole game came together last year.”
Skipper added: “He has a contract issue and all that stuff going on. That’ll take care of itself. He just wanted to be around his teammates, and he’s happy to be here.”
Cook’s involvement in minicamp eased concerns he could consider a long-term holdout. Questions will linger until he shows up for training camp, though. The Bills are scheduled to open camp July 23 at St. John Fisher University.
Bills, James Cook on Good Terms Despite Contract Situation
Analyzing Cook’s Track Record in Buffalo
The University of Georgia product isn’t out of line in requesting a significant pay raise. He’s been one of the NFL’s most productive backs since the Bills selected him in the second round of the 2022 draft.
Cook has racked up 3,521 yards from scrimmage and 27 total touchdowns across 49 appearances (29 starts) for Buffalo. His 18 trips to the end zone last season were tied with the Baltimore Ravens‘ Derrick Henry for the league’s second-highest total among non-quarterbacks.
Every James Cook Touchdown Last Season. pic.twitter.com/t0sdHhKvAS
— BillsMuse (@BillsMusee) March 20, 2025
Yet, his game isn’t without flaws. He’s limited as a pass-catcher out of the backfield and has also struggled in pass protection. That’s led to a significantly reduced role on third down. The Bills brought in Ty Johnson to take over that niche role.
That’s why it’s hard to imagine the Bills meeting his $15 million request. That would tie Henry for the third-highest average annual salary behind only the Philadelphia Eagles‘ Saquon Barkley ($20.6 million) and San Francisco 49ers‘ Christian McCaffrey ($19 million), per Spotrac.
Buffalo has limited financial flexibility. That’ll likely remain the case throughout the remainder of its current Super Bowl window. Investing a sizable percentage of the salary cap into a two-down running back simply isn’t wise roster construction.
So, while Cook deserves a raise, his Bills tenure is likely nearing a conclusion if he holds firm at $15 million.
Cook Comments on 2025 NFL Season
The Bills brass likely breathed a sigh of relief after Cook spoke at minicamp. More specifically, his response when asked why he showed up for the practices amid contract talks:
“I like my money.”
James Cook on why he attended mandatory minicamp today.#BillsMafia @BuffaloPlus pic.twitter.com/oX8qDDk6ud
— Dan Fetes (@danfetes) June 10, 2025
If the running back didn’t want to get fined for missing offseason work, it’s highly unlikely he’ll sacrifice game checks from his $5.3 million salary. As a result, all signs point to him showing up for camp and playing in the regular season. That’s great news for the Bills offense.
For his part, the dynamic rusher confirmed he’s separating the business side of the sport from everything else.
“It’s my team,” Cook told reporters last month. “In order to win a Super Bowl or compete for a Super Bowl and have a winning season, I have to be out there and be out there with my teammates. Everything is business, so there ain’t no hard feelings. I don’t ever have a beef with nobody. Like I said, everything’s going to work how it’s supposed to work out.”
That’s his best option at this point: play for the Bills this season, ball out and hope another team is willing to give him a lucrative, long-term contract next offseason.
Breaking Down Bills’ Running Back Depth Chart
Buffalo’s 2025 backfield outlook remains pretty much the same as last season. Cook will handle a vast majority of the early-down work. Ray Davis will take over that role when the starter needs a break. Johnson will step in on third down and in obvious passing situations.
Davis would step into the starting role if Cook makes the shocking decision to hold out. Johnson could see a few more weekly snaps in that scenario. Frank Gore Jr. and Darrynton Evans would then spend the preseason battling for the No. 3 spot. There’d be no marquee addition.
Ray Davis pic.twitter.com/IfIsiVu7sC
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) April 28, 2025
That’s a long shot at this point, however. The Bills are likely going to get one more year from Cook and he’s going to get a chance to maximize his value in a high-powered offense. It could work out great for both sides in the end.
Ultimately, the Buffalo offense is always going to run through MVP quarterback Josh Allen, who’s also a major factor in the ground game. It’s hard to imagine Beane handing out a high-value contract to a running back for as long as that remains the case.
Main Image: Gregory Fisher – Imagn Images
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