Why Buffalo Bills should not give James Cook a contract extension

The James Cook saga took an unexpected turn on Sunday, when the Buffalo Bills' running back decided not to suit up for practice.

Despite being in a contract dispute with the Bills, Cook reported to training camp and was practicing initially before making the decision to sit out on Sunday, and then again on Monday.

Cook replied "business" when asked why he sat out, which clearly indicates he's now holding in.

All of this begs the question — should the Bills even worry about extending Cook?

We know he's important to the offense and worthy of a raise after two-straight 1,000-yard campaigns and Pro Bowl nods.

On the contrary, he hasn't proven to be a reliable three-down back during his career thanks to drops and struggles in pass protection, which led to a consistent rotation with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson in 2024, and Cook played 48% of the team's snaps as a result.

At $15 million per year, which is the amount Cook wants, he'd be tied with Baltimore Ravens rusher Derrick Henry, who is not good on third downs but is a workhorse back with a history of obscene production on the ground to make up for it.

Above Henry is San Francisco 49ers rusher Christian McCaffrey and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, both of whom are two of the best backs in the NFL.

James Cook TD — Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Buffalo Bills running back James Cook (4) dives for a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half in the AFC Championship Game | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

We can certainly have the conversation about McCaffrey being injury-prone and no longer being worth the money, but there's no denying that, when healthy, he's an elite running back who can do it all (and more than Cook).

Even with a lack of third-down work, Henry played 150 more snaps than Cook (57%) last season and posted over 900 more yards on the ground.

Barkley played 74% of snaps in 2024. In his last full, healthy season in 2023, McCaffrey saw playing time on 75% of snaps.

Now that we've established Cook isn't a $15 -million-per-year back, I'd go even further and say the Bills should not extend Cook at all, even if he does come down from that price demand.

The Bills do not have a healthy salasry cap situation over the next few years and spending any semblance of significant money on one of the most replaceable positions in the NFL wouldn't be a good idea, and that's especially true with a back who is good but not elite.

Not extending Cook creates a possible scenario where he could hold out into the start of the season and beyond, but we know history has proven that's a terrible idea.

Sure, maybe it forces the Bills to budge at some point, but it could also prove that the Bills don't need Cook as much as everyone thinks if Davis and Johnson thrive in his absence.

Not to mention, Cook sitting out an entire season won't advance his cause at all and has a far better chance of backfiring than not, something he and his agent know full well.

The Bills should let Cook play out the final year of his deal before letting him walk in 2026. In the event he does hold out, trade him and move on.

James Cook catch — Bills' running back James Cook pulls in a pass along the sideline during day three of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University Friday, July 25, 2025 in Pittsford, NY. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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