Did Henry’s contract extension give Cook more ammunition?
The Baltimore Ravens made a move Wednesday to retain their star running back, Derrick Henry, agreeing to a two-year contract extension worth $30 million — an average of $15 million per season. The deal includes $25 million guaranteed, making it the richest AAV/deal ever for a running back over 30 years old.
Henry’s extension also sends a domino effect throughout the NFL, particularly towards teams like the Buffalo Bills that roster a running back on the last leg of their contract. To complicate matters, running back James Cook has already turned to social media to lobby for a new deal.
Henry, 31, remains one of the league’s best running backs clearly out to prove Father Time wrong. Henry boasts a career resume that includes an NFL Offensive Player of the Year award, two rushing titles, and six 1,000-yard seasons. The new deal rewards him for his past and reflects on his ability to continue to be the featured back in the future.
For James Cook, the timing of Henry’s extension couldn’t be more intriguing. As mentioned above, Cook has made several social media posts in recent months suggesting he expects a sizable payday — some hinting as high as $15–$20 million annually. His brother, Dalvin Cook, even joined in, fueling speculation about a contentious extension.
But are we ready to say Cook’s in the same tier as Henry?
Cook, while effective, played during just 48% of Buffalo’s offensive snaps in 2024. He has yet to establish himself as a true featured back to the likes of Henry, Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Jahmyr Gibbs, or Jonathan Taylor. While Cook’s production is promising, with over 1,000 yards rushing last season and 16 rushing touchdowns, he hasn’t consistently carried the offense — as the Bills tend to operate using a running-back-by-committee approach.
Cook and Buffalo’s brass have remained quiet on where talks stand with an extension, but at this point, it may be hard to justify $15-plus million AAV for a player not yet in the tier of running backs we’ve labelled as “elite.” Cook could probably make this number somewhere, but it’s unlikely to be with the Bills.