The NFL’s running back market has been in a strange place over the past few seasons. For a long time, running backs were the backbone of many winning teams. The Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Baltimore Ravens all won Super Bowls after building their team around the run game.
But over the past decade, the league shifted. As defenses figured out how to stop the run, offenses turned to faster, pass-heavy schemes, and the pendulum swung in the other direction. However, after free-agent running backs like Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry had a huge impact last season, 2024 may have marked the beginning of another shift.
The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX thanks in large part to Barkley and then rewarded him with a new two-year, $41.2 million contract that includes $36 million guaranteed. That deal has other running backs, including the Buffalo Bills star James Cook, looking for similar compensation. However, a three-time Super Bowl champion recently warned Cook that he won’t be getting a Saquon-esque payday.
Is Buffalo Bills RB James Cook Expecting Saquon Barkley Money?
Cook is entering the final year of his rookie contract and may have expected Buffalo to offer him a lucrative extension by now. But that hasn’t happened, and talks between Cook and the Bills have cooled.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently said on “The Pat McAfee Show” that things are “not in a good place” between Cook and the Bills, but the running back is still expected to return to Buffalo next season.
On a recent episode of “Breakfast Ball,” three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth was asked if Cook deserves a deal similar to Barkley’s. Schlereth said it’s possible for Cook to be underpaid while still not being worth Barkley-level money.
“You’re not getting $15 million, so you’re going to have to settle for whatever you have to settle for, $7–8 million,” Schlereth said about Cook’s contract hopes. “Are you worth that? Absolutely. But you’re not getting a Saquon Barkley deal.”
Co-hosts Craig Carton and Danny Parkins agreed, adding that Cook has been “woefully underpaid” under his current deal. Schlereth noted that Cook plans to show up for offseason activities instead of holding out, which could help his case.
“This is almost like an olive branch,” Schlereth said about Cook attending team workouts. “Listen, I’m going to come in. I’m going to do the OTAs and all the things in the offseason, but I’m expecting to get myself a contract at some point. Maybe it won’t be what I want, but it’s gonna be better than what I got.”
Cook, the younger brother of Dalvin Cook, has been the subject of recent trade rumors. He’s also made the Pro Bowl the past two seasons.
In 2024, Cook tied for the league lead in rushing touchdowns with 16, matching Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs. Cook reached that total in 16 games, while Henry and Gibbs each played in 17. Also, Cook had just 207 carries compared to 325 for Henry and 250 for Gibbs.
Cook also rushed for 1,009 yards and caught 32 passes for 258 yards and two scores through the air. It was a breakout season for Cook, who scored just four rushing touchdowns (and nine total TDs) over his first two seasons in the NFL.
In PFSN’s Top 100 2026 NFL Free Agents, Cook is currently the No. 26-ranked free agent for next offseason.
“James Cook’s vision was on full display in 2024 — he ranked seventh among qualifiers in yards per carry before contact. The Bills rewarded him with more red-zone work. Over his first two seasons, just 12.5% of his 391 touches (49) came inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. In 2024, that number jumped to 20.9% (50 of 239). A 2022 second-round pick, Cook looks like the kind of lead back worthy of that draft capital.”
The Bills seem interested in keeping Cook long-term, but at the right price. It remains to be seen whether the two sides can agree on a deal that makes him feel valued.