Bills’ James Cook wants to ‘get what I deserve’ in new contract, hints at $15 million per year

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is set to become extension-eligible this offseason. And it seems like he wants to strike it big with a new contract.

Cook said during a podcast appearance with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson that “I just want to get what I deserve.” As for what that means, well, Cook previously hinted during an Instagram Live session that what he’s looking for is $15 million per year.

“I just feel like we’re deserving of it. Like, why not? We work all of our life to get paid. Feed me the big bucks,” Cook said. “I want to go chase the highest of the highest and I’m going to keep doing it.”

A $15 million average annual value would be the second-highest among all running backs behind only Christian McCaffrey’s $19 million per year, which CMC got on a two-year, $38 million extension. Such a contract would reset the market for top-tier backs, checking in $1 million per year ahead of Jonathan Taylor and around $2.5 million per year ahead of Saquon Barkley and Alvin Kamara.

Cook, however, doesn’t want to cause any issues with his contract demands.

“I’m going to stand on what I stand on. And I don’t want to feel like a cancer at all. Because I don’t like all that attention and all that. That’s not me, honestly. I’m just standing on business and what I deserve. That’s it. What I deserve.”

It makes sense that Cook wants to break the bank right now, because he’s fresh off what was a wildly productive campaign. Cook made the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive year, and he also tied for the league lead with 16 rushing touchdowns — four times as many as he had in his first two NFL seasons combined.

Given how the Bills utilized their backs this past season, though, they might not be interested in such a significant commitment. Cook actually saw his snap rate go down from 2023 (55%) to 2024 (48%) as the team got Ty Johnson more involved in passing situations and also worked in rookie Ray Davis. A good deal of the rushing attack also centers around Josh Allen (especially near the goal line), so it might be difficult for the Bills to justify that type of commitment — even if highly paid running backs did experience a resurgence this past season.