The Buffalo Bills selected James Cook in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He is the younger brother of former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook and has developed into one of the most important players on the Bills’ roster.
Cook is now in his fourth NFL season and is already a two-time Pro Bowler. This past offseason, the Bills rewarded him with a lucrative contract extension that will keep him in Buffalo through the 2029 season.
James Cook’s Contract Details
Cook signed a four-year, $46 million contract with the Bills before the start of the 2025 NFL season. He rushed for 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns in 16 games last year while adding 32 receptions for 258 yards and two receiving touchdowns, earning his second Pro Bowl selection.
According to Spotrac, Cook’s contract includes $28.2 million in guaranteed money, a $9 million signing bonus, and an average annual salary of $11.5 million. In 2025, he is set to earn a base salary of $1.28 million and a signing bonus of $9 million, with a cap hit of $3,435,374 and a dead cap value of $15,635,374.
In 17 games during the regular season, Cook rushed for 1,621 yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. According to PFSN’s RB Impact metric, the Bills’ star is currently the best running back in the league. He has an impact score (RBi) of 88.9 and is graded as B+.
Cook’s Net Worth in 2025
As of now, there is no publicly confirmed figure for Cook’s exact net worth in 2025. However, estimates place it in the range of $10 to $15 million.
If the 26-year-old running back stays healthy, he could continue increasing his net worth with another sizable contract extension down the line. So far in his career, he has earned a total of $14,933,682.
MORE: 2026 3-Round NFL Mock Draft: Bengals Land Franchise Defender, 49ers Find Brandon Aiyuk Replacement
Heading into the playoffs of the 2025 NFL season, Cook ranks as the seventh-highest-paid running back in the league based on average annual contract value. Here are the six players above him:
- Saquon Barkley: $20.6 million AAV (Annual Average Value)
- Christian McCaffrey: $19 million AAV
- Derrick Henry: $15 million AAV
- Jonathan Taylor: $14 million AAV
- Alvin Kamara: $12.25 million AAV
- Josh Jacobs: $12 million AAV
Buffalo Bills’ Stats and Insights for Wild Card Round
Team: Buffalo has a +127 point differential after halftime. It’s 35 points better than the Rams, who are in second. It’s the best in the NFL over the last five seasons, and Buffalo has had the top three after halftime point differentials in that span (2021, 2024, 2025).
Playoffs: The Bills are 3-4 in one-score postseason games with Josh Allen as the starting quarterback (7-6 overall).
QB: Josh Allen’s QBi score of 95.9 (A) in the 2021 Wild Card against the New England Patriots is the highest by a quarterback in a postseason game since 2000. It’s also the eighth-highest score in any NFL game since 2000.
OFF:Â Buffalo is 2-4 when committing at least two turnovers. In the other loss to the Eagles in Week 17, the Bills committed a turnover and missed an extra point.
DEF:Â Buffalo has allowed 221 points in the first half, which is 23rd in the league, and played a significant role in the Bills having a -11 point differential in the first 30 minutes. After halftime, the Bills have allowed the second fewest points (144) in the NFL.
