After the 2024 regular-season finale, Bills running back James Cook became eligible for a new contract. With one year left on his rookie deal, he’s ready to be rewarded.
Via SI.com, Cook said Wednesday on Instagram that he’s looking for $15 million per year.
That’s not unreasonable. He has a pair of 1,000-yard performances. He scored 18 touchdowns in 2024. With only three NFL seasons under his belt, he still has plenty of good years in front of him.
Whether the Bills are motivated to reward Cook remains to be seen. He’s due to make $5.19 million in 2025, thanks to CBA-driven, performance-based bumps to the final year of his second-round contract.
The Bills could apply the franchise tag in 2026. Given the ongoing growth in the salary cap, the one-year tender could be close to $15 million.
But Cook surely doesn’t want to wait that long. And he undoubtedly wants multi-year security. Still, the Bills have levers available to them under the labor deal. They can dig in their heels and take it one year at a time.
Cook doesn’t have many options. A holdout would cause him to lose his fourth year of credit toward free agency. He’s at the mercy of whether the Bills will choose to take care of him when they don’t have to.
In the end, he might be stuck for two more seasons before finally getting a Saquon-style shot at jumping to, for example, a division rival.
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