James Cook's Agent Provides Good News Update on Bills Future

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is in the midst of a contract extension negotiation, but it isn't as dramatic a situation as others around the league.

The 25-year-old running back who led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2024 began this training camp with full participation, despite his public request for a raise. Then last week, he elected to begin a "hold-in" by not participating in drills.

Some thought it was a mentality shift and that Cook may no longer want to play in Buffalo, but his agent Zac Hiller spoke to The Athletic to clear things up.

"James Cook only wants to be a Buffalo Bill," Hiller said. "This isn’t some $200M Micah Parsons-Jerry Jones negotiation. We’re hopeful there’s a resolution soon, and we’ll keep working toward that every day."

So with no Parsons-esque trade request coming, that's good news for Bills Mafia.

However, Cook still believes he deserves a top-of-market contract, and that will be tricky for the Bills to navigate financially.

The Los Angeles Rams just recently extended ball-carrier Kyren Williams with a three-year, $33 million deal, but Cook had expressed earlier that he is seeking an average salary value of at least $15 million.

Buffalo may look at Williams' deal and try to bracket Cook within that $11 million APY range. If Cook holds his ground and demands a greater figure, he may have the argument against Williams as a player, but not necessarily the rest of the league.

Cook has enjoyed two above-average seasons, but he hasn't quite hit the upper echelon of running backs yet, where Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey have separated themselves with consistent elite play, earning them a contract value to match.

Cook's request of $15 million APY would put him as the third highest-paid running back in the NFL, tying Henry. Williams' $11 million APY is seventh richest - a much more appropriate ranking for Cook in the current market.

Buscaglia affirms that "there is no indication" of Buffalo trading their rising star, but it'll need to hone in on the negotiation to talk him down from his asking price.

One way to structure an efficient contract is to load it up "with enhanced bonus incentives to potentially earn more in a single season," as Buscaglia explains.

This situation is cooperative right now, but it's only expected to get more tense if talks continue to show no progress towards an agreement.

The Bills are the least flexible team in the league regarding their cap space, only adding to the difficulty in pricey contract negotiations such as this one.

Thankfully, Cook's agent confirms that he wants to stay with the organization. Hopefully that relationship can lead to a resolution that benefits both sides and best prepares the Bills for another deep run in the playoffs.