James Cook has been unstoppable this season, proving to be a real threat in the run game for the Buffalo Bills. And because of that, he has officially earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
The running back has doubled the production from his rookie season, recording 224 carries for 1,086 yards and two touchdowns this season.
He joins Dion Dawkins as the only two Bills selected to this year's Pro Bowl games.
Cook's Pro Bowl nod also comes with a big raise
The NFL has Proven Performance Escalators which are pay increases that occur when a player meets the threshold of playing time and Pro Bowl selections. These are available to players on rookie contracts selected in the second round or later, with it occurring within the first three years of their career. There are certain stipulations for first-rounders, as well.
For Cook, this happened in his second year.
The running back was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. So that makes him eligible for Level Three PPE. And with that, it raises the base salary to the amount of the second round RFA tender.
And per Over The Cap, right now the second-round RFA tender is projected at $4.633 million in 2024. The important thing to remember is the raise doesn't occur until the fourth year of said player's contract, so the pay bump won't come into play until 2025, which also means it will likely be more than what it is currently projected.
Cook's base salary for his fourth season is reportedly $1,425,282 according to OTC, so he will earn at least a $2,307,718 raise in 2025.
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