James Cook. Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images

Report: James Cook makes decision on future with Bills

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated Apr 10, 2025 4:52 PM ET

One of the big reasons that the Buffalo Bills had as much success as they did this past season was the emergence of James Cook into a touchdown-scoring machine. But that emergence also means that he's outperformed his rookie contract.

Cook scored a league-leading 16 touchdowns on the ground in 2024. His mark was tied with Jahmyr Gibbs and Derrick Henry for the most in the league.

Heading into his fourth NFL season, Cook is entering a contract year and is due $5.3 million in 2025. Cook has made it pretty clear in some recent posts on social media what amount he's seeking. He's put his house up for sale and stalled all contract talks with the team.

But NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Cook intends to play for the Bills in 2025 regardless.

"He will play for the Bills," Rapoport said, via ProFootballTalk.

Cook was a second-round pick out of Georgia in the 2022 NFL Draft. After playing a supporting role as a rookie in 2022, he became the Bills starter in 2023 and immediately became a 1,000-yard rusher. But over those first two seasons, he totaled just four touchdowns on the ground.

That all changed in 2024 when Cook quadrupled that total with 16 TDs in 16 games.

Cook continued to be a big factor for the Bills in the playoffs, averaging over 90 yards per game in their first two playoff games. But the Bills handed the ball off to him just 13 times against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, and their season came to an end.

Will Cook play his way into a lucrative extension with the Bills at the end of the 2025 season, or is he bound for free agency in 2026?

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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