BREAKING: Bills Superstar Sparks Contract Drama, Pushes for Unbelievable Amount Per Year Extension!

James Cook appears to have established his extension expectations.

The Buffalo Bills running back appears to be searching for a new contract for approximately $15 million. Cook went on Instagram Live on Wednesday and posted his own comment, which said “15 mill year,” according to the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

Cook is entering the final year of his rookie contract, with a basic salary of $5.142 million. He now qualifies for an extension.

The $15 million number is unlikely to have come from nowhere. The sum would trail only Christian McCaffrey’s $19 million per year among running backs. It would put Cook ahead of Jonathan Taylor ($14 million), Saquon Barkley ($12.583 million), Alvin Kamara ($12.25 million), Josh Jacobs ($12 million), and others.

All of the backs are older than Cook, who is 25 years old.

Cook, a Pro Bowler, is coming off consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. In 2024, he tied for the NFL lead with 16 rushing touchdowns and had a 4.9 yards per carry average, ranking seventh among all running backs with at least 200 carries. Perhaps if the Bills hadn’t forgotten about Cook for much of the AFC Championship Game, they would have represented the conference in the Super Bowl.

It is unclear whether Buffalo feels that Cook is worth $15 million or something close to that figure. Last year, the Bills divided the carries, with rookie Ray Davis racking up 113. If they choose to go with the committee approach, paying one back north of

Spending more over $10 million makes less sense. Buffalo also has the franchise tag in 2026, which may be about $15 million (projected to be $13.629 million in 2025).

A player’s hopes in talks and where that figure eventually ends up are incongruent. Cook’s willingness to offer — and pin down — a specific number, on the other hand, reveals how he values himself prior to negotiations, which is an important factor in the equation.