James Cook was a key piece of the Buffalo Bills run to the AFC Championship Game last season. The Bills ultimately fell to the Kansas City Chiefs, again, but Cook established himself as one of the league’s premier running backs.
This offseason, Cook watched Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry get paid handsomely after returning the running back position to prominence. Naturally, Cook now wants a new contract from Buffalo.
He had been sitting out of the team’s offseason programs, and one NFL insider provided a major update on his status heading into minicamp.
James Cook Reports to Bills Minicamp in Reversal of Offseason Stance
Cook was a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and found his footing in Buffalo’s offense during the 2023 campaign. He played in 17 games, totaling 1,122 yards and two rushing touchdowns. In the air, he added 44 catches, 445 yards, and four receiving scores. His efforts earned him a spot on the Pro Bowl roster.
Cook took his game to another level in 2024, making the Pro Bowl again and appearing in all but one game. He tied Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs for the league lead in rushing touchdowns with 16, and posted 1,009 rushing yards, 32 catches, 258 receiving yards, and two scores through the air.
He’s entering the final year of his rookie contract and understandably wants a new deal. Earlier this offseason, Cook posted on social media that he wanted $15 million per year and has skipped the voluntary portion of the team’s offseason program.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane hasn’t seemed phased by Cook’s absence. He praised the running back and what he’s meant to the team in recent years. Beane also expressed confidence that Cook would be in attendance when it mattered most.
“Sometimes, business gets in the way, we understand that,” Beane said. “Jimbo [Cook], he is a competitive dude. He loves playing for this team. He loves being a part of it. He loves his role here. And he fits this offense really well.”
Cook’s status heading into the team’s mandatory minicamp was up in the air, but NFL insider Ian Rapoport provided an update. He posted on X, “#Bills RB James Cook is present at mandatory minicamp, source said, though it’s unclear how much he’ll participate as he seeks a new deal.”
#Bills RB James Cook is present at mandatory minicamp, source said, though it’s unclear how much he’ll participate as he seeks a new deal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 10, 2025
It wouldn’t be shocking if Cook held himself out of practices during minicamp, but his presence at the team’s facility is a showing of good faith and a step in the right direction.
How Big of a Contract Should Cook Expect From the Bills?
The final year of Cook’s contract will pay him just over $5.7 million next season. The Bills still have the opportunity to apply the franchise tag on him next offseason. However, neither side prefers to go that route, and it could lead the Bills to upset a key player.
Cook recently reacted to Henry’s two-year extension earlier this offseason, and saw Barkley receive $41.2 million in new money from the Philadelphia Eagles. He’ll likely have to put together another exceptional season to receive the $15 million a year he wants.
There’s no doubt that Cook is a major part of Buffalo’s offense, but the team doesn’t have to pay him yet. If he posts another season with over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns, then Cook will have done all he can to earn a big contract.