Agreement Reached: Running Back James Cook Secures Four-Year, $48 Million Contract Extension
The Buffalo Bills have secured the services of their star running back, James Cook, for the foreseeable future. Cook agreed to a four-year, $48 million contract extension, with $30 million guaranteed, making him the seventh-highest paid running back in the NFL by new money per season.
The deal, announced on Wednesday morning by multiple media outlets, comes after Cook participated in practice for the first time since he informed the team of his plans to sit out due to a "business" decision tied to his expiring contract. The Bills organization expressed gratitude for making the contract extension happen, according to Cook's agent, Zac Hiller, who stated that Cook "could only envision himself as a Buffalo Bill."
Cook's new deal places him in the top tier of NFL running backs by new money per season (average annual value, AAV) in 2025. He ranks fourth overall, with a $12 million/year average, just behind Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, and Derrick Henry. Cook's contract also has the highest total value among running back deals signed recently.
The broader set of the top 10 paid NFL running backs by average annual value includes players roughly from $15 million/year down to about $9 million/year, with Cook near the top around $12 million/year. Other notable running backs in this bracket include Kyren Williams, Aaron Jones, James Conner, and David Montgomery.
In the preseason opener last week, Cook dressed but did not play, and the Bills turned to Ray Davis and Ty Johnson in his absence. Cook had a strong outing, however, in the 2024 regular season, scoring a touchdown in 12 of the Bills' 17 games, totaling 16 rushing touchdowns. In his NFL career, Cook has rushed for 2,638 yards and 20 touchdowns and caught 97 passes for 883 yards and seven scores in 49 games.
Unfortunately for the Bills, their preseason opener did not go as planned, as they lost to the New York Giants by a score of 34-25. Despite this setback, the team is undoubtedly relieved to have Cook locked in for the long term.
[1] Source: OverTheCap.com [2] Source: Spotrac.com [3] Source: FantasyPros.com [4] Source: ESPN.com
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