Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is sitting out organized team activities to land a contract extension that will make him one of the highest-paid NFL players at his position. The lack of progress in negotiations reportedly might stem from talks earlier this offseason.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated wrote that while the Bills' front office attempted to negotiate a contract extension with Cook this offseason, the two sides evidently were 'never really close' on a deal.
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"That's why the Bills already tried to get him signed. They had talks earlier in the offseason and my sense is that the two sides were never really close to finding real common ground."
James Cook stats ( ESPN ): 1,009 rushing yards, 4.9 yards per carry, 16 rushing touchdowns, 1 fumble on 207 carries, 32 receptions for 258 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns, 8.1 yards per reception
Reports surfaced early this offseason that Cook wanted a multi-year extension worth $15 million annually. Weeks later, general manager Brandon Beane cast doubt on the two-time Pro Bowl selection receiving a new deal anytime soon.
At $15 million per season, Cook would be the fourth-highest-paid running back in the NFL. While Buffalo realizes the impact Cook has on its offense, this is the same organization that has moved on from running backs once they find cost-effective and efficient replacements.
Related: Insider shares what a James Cook contract extension might cost the Bills
James Cook contract ( Spotrac ): $5.271 million base salary, $355,374 signing bonus in 2025 with a $5.701 million cap hit. NFL free agent in 2026
It's still noteworthy that the Bills' front office is willing to extend Cook's contract. While the club might not be willing to offer $15 million per season, the salaries for Josh Jacobs ($12 million AAV) and Jonathan Taylor ($14 million AAV) could provide a framework for counteroffers.
The new NFL CBA makes training camp holdouts too costly to go through, but some players have started doing hold-ins, where they show up but don't practice. It's not known if that's currently on the table for Cook as he heads into a contract year.
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