Buffalo Bills running back James Cook will be back on the field in 2025 to follow up on his league-leading season.
Beyond that is uncertain.
Cook is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has expressed a desire for a new deal with a target of $15 million per year. The team has made it clear that they are not on the same page, with general manager Brandon Beane suggesting there will not be new contract talks in the near future.
An insider has another dire update, hinting at rising tensions with no clear future for Cook in Buffalo beyond his rookie deal.
James Cook Situation ‘Isn’t Great’
In an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said the relationship between the Bills and Cook has become strained.
“The James Cook situation in Buffalo isn’t great right now, but he will play for the Bills next year,” Rapoport said, adding, “I know the negotiations didn’t go great, but the Bills would still like to have him in the future… As of right know they’re not in a great place.”
The Bills have already locked down a pair of other members of Cook’s 2022 NFL draft class, cornerback Christian Benford and wide receiver Khalil Shakir, but Beane said there has been no progress with Cook.
The Bills general manager also chided Cook’s representatives for taking their negotiations to the public.
“I love Jimbo, proud of his success, just like these other guys that we got extended,” Beane said at the Annual League Meeting, via NFL.com. “I don’t talk about negotiations, I would say his reps and him did put it out there that we did talk, so I’m not sharing anything new. It didn’t lead to anything as far as closing in on a deal, so we moved onto the guys that we were more on the same page with.
“At this point, we’re on to the draft, once we got (Christian) Benford done. I don’t see us doing any deals anytime soon.”
Cook doesn’t have history on his side. The Bills have not given a second contract to any of their drafted running backs during Beane’s tenure as general manager, allowing Devin Singletary to leave in free agency and trading Zack Moss in the final year of his contract.
James Cook Played Big Role in 2025
Cook was a major part of Buffalo’s offense in 2025 as the team placed put more emphasis on the running game as a counter to Josh Allen and the passing attack. Cook notched his second consecutive 1,000-yard season — the first Bill running back to reach that mark since LeSean McCoy — and he led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns.
The Bills had some other strong contributors in the backfield, with rookie Ray Davis racking up 631 yards from scrimmage with six touchdowns. Ty Johnson also played an important role as the team’s third-down back, with Cook often being taken off the field due to his more limited blocking ability.
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