Bills hoping to extend two-time Pro Bowler

In an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Beane told McAfee that Cook “will be here this year and hopefully beyond,” according to Michael David Smith of NBC Sports.

A second-round pick from 2022, the Georgia product has improved each season of his career. A rookie season behind Devin Singletary saw him rush for only 507 yards and two touchdowns, adding 180 yards and a score through the air. In 2023, Cook took over as the starter and turned in a 1,000-yard rushing season (1,122 yards, to be exact) but only score two rushing touchdowns, though he added 445 yards and four scores in the air.

Last year, Cook put it all together. In 16 games, he rushed for 1,009 yard and led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns. He added 258 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, as well. These efforts on an average salary of $1.46MM per year just aren’t adding up for Cook.

Cook is on record as seeking a salary of $15M per year, which would make him the third-highest-paid running back in the NFL, behind only Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey. Given the amount of tread still left on his 25-year-old tires, a raise certainly makes sense, but apart from the league-leading rushing touchdowns last season, it’s hard to argue that Cook has contributed as much as Barkley or McCaffrey in his career.

Still, Beane seems to be willing to play ball on extension conversations. He seems willing to take his time, considering Cook has another year on his contract (and a franchise tag has been a popular option for keeping running backs around), but it sounds like Beane has every intention of keeping his star rusher happy to keep him in the building.