The Buffalo Bills are signing running back James Cook to a four-year, $48-million extension that includes $30 million guaranteed, his agent told Adam Schefter.
“James could only envision himself as a Buffalo Bill,” his agent said about the new extension. “We are extremely thankful to the entire Bills organization and glad we could make that happen.”
Cook’s guaranteed money is the most a running back has received in the last five years, Schefter adds. The $12 million average annual salary ties him for the sixth highest paid running back in the league.
Cook ended his hold-in last Tuesday and suited up in practice for the first time in over a week. The two sides have been in a public contract standoff since before the beginning of training camp. This deal seemingly looked like it slowly over time came closer and closer to coming into place as the two sides threw numbers back and forth.
The 25-year-old is coming off the best season of his career. Cook ended up with 1,267 total yards on 239 touches. Cook’s 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024 were tied with Jahmyr Gibbs and Derrick Henry for the most in the league, and were BY FAR the highest in his career high.
Just over two years ago, the Bills got rid of a lot of their veteran and well known players. Now, it all seemingly makes sense. With the money the Buffalo Bills saved from letting those players go, they were able to sign back a lot of their “new core” guys and continue to build a Super Bowl contending team.
Cook’s extension adds to a list of players Buffalo has locked up this offseason, with Josh Allen, Christian Benford, Greg Rousseau, Terrell Bernard, and Khalil Shakir also all receiving new multi-year deals. In total, the Bills spent more than upwards of one billion dollars to keep their players this offseason.
Cook was selected in the second round of the 2022 draft. He has 2,638 rushing yards and 27 total touchdowns in 49 career games.
Jaden Chandler-Parnell, or “JC” is a Sports & Sports Betting Analyst for Stare Down Sports. You can Follow him on X @Jaden95Chandler and on YouTube
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