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James Cook may be present at Buffalo Bills Training Camp this week, but he doesn’t back back when it comes to contract negotiations with the franchise.
Cook, the NFL’s leader in rushing touchdowns last season, made his attitude ready after participating in the first two days of the camp.
“We have conversations,” he said via ESPN. “I mean I deserve what I want, I need and it will eventually happen.”
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Buffalo Bills, who runs back James Cook on the field during training camp at St. John Fisher University. (Mark Kindenzny/Imag- Pictures)
Journalists followed up and asked Cook if he feels convinced that the bills will meet his demands for extension of the contract.
“I mean, but it happens, it will be done. No matter where it happens,” he said.
The 25-year-old is not missing confidence and it was seen this season when he went live on Instagram with a caption of “15 mill [per] year.”
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If so, Cook would be tied with Baltimore Ravens veteran Derrick Henry for the third highest average annual value on the running back position in the NFL.
Cook has previously sent on social media about his contract situation, and he noticed on Thursday that he has no regret to announce how he is doing.
Bills GM Brandon Beane discussed Cook’s situation with journalists at the start of training camp.
“Sometimes you can’t get on the same page, or sometimes you try to fit it in,” Bean explained per day. Espn. “There are times that guys are back here that we really wanted. We just couldn’t make it work. But I can tell you I’m hopeful when we sit here at next year’s training camp that James Cook is out there and trains and still represents the red, white and blue.”
Buffalo Bills, who runs back James Cook, runs by beating his hands as he walks towards the field under Buffalo Bills Training Camp at St. John Fisher University in Pittsford 24 July 2025. (IMagn)
Cook has another year back on his rookie deal with the bills that took him in the second round of 2022 NFL drafts out of Georgia. If Cook and Bills can’t reach an extension by next season, he would be a free agent unless the team decides to beat his franchise mark on him.
Unlike other players, past and present, Cook participated in Bills’ mandatory offseason practice while his contract negotiations were underway.
“It’s my job,” he said of reporting. “I had to attend, so I don’t get a fine and just get out here and just show them that I’m ready to go and earn what I got.”
Cook called the bills a “large organization” and one he will continue to play for. But he has made it clear where he stands and it does not appear that he is willing to leave any money on the table.
To go with his 16 rushing touchdowns last season, Cook hurried to 1,009, and his second straight year broke the 1,000-yard mark after a total of 1,122 in a breakout 2023 campaign.
Buffalo Bills, who runs back James Cook on the field during training camp at St. John Fisher University. (Mark Kindenzny/Imag- Pictures)
While it is clear that Cook is the lead that runs back on the depth card, Spell Ray Davis and Ty Johnson Spell him for snaps and have shown the ability to help the bill’s dynamic violation of getting into the field and into the final zone.
Cook played only 48% of the offensive snaps over his 16 Bills games last season.
