Buffalo Bills Star James Cook Ends Holdout With Contract Extension Announcement

The Buffalo Bills are looking for some vengeance going into the 2025 NFL season after being stopped just short of a trip to the Super Bowl a year ago. At last, they have one of their top players in the mix helping them along in the 2025 campaign.

It was announced on Wednesday morning that two-time Pro Bowl running back James Cook had finally ended his training camp hold-in and signed a contract extension with the Bills. According to multiple reports, Cook's extension is for 4-years, $48 million, with $30 million in guaranteed money.

What the Return of James Cook Means for the Bills

A year ago, Cook was one of the biggest pieces of Buffalo's successful 2024 season. He had a career season, rushing for 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns, while adding 258 yards and two touchdowns in the receiving game as well. James tied for the most rushing touchdowns in the NFL last season.

The former second-round pick did not play in the preseason opener for the Bills while negotiating a new contract, and while he had been present and training camp practices, he did not work out with the team, operating a successful hold-in. On Tuesday, James' decision to practice foreshadowed Wednesday's official news.

How Cook's Salary Compares Across the NFL Landscape

With an average annual salary (AAV) of $12 million per season, Cook is now the sixth-highest-paid running back in the NFL, trailing the likes of Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara, and Josh Jacobs.

In the negotiation process, Cook had publicly declared that he was looking for a contract that would pay him approximately $15 million per season, but he ended up signing for slightly less than that.

James Cook's Outlook in 2025

Going into the 2025 season, Buffalo is looking to reload and make another trip to the AFC Championship game, at the very least. A year ago, they fell to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Title game, 27-24, marking the fourth playoff loss to the Chiefs in Josh Allen's career.

Now, the Bills added the likes of Josh Palmer to the offense, who will play alongside Khalil Shakur and Keon Coleman. On defense, the biggest addition was DE Joey Bosa, who signed as a free agent after leaving the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Bills have the weapons to be a great team in 2025 once again, and now they successfully added Cook back into the mix as well.