The Buffalo Bills moved quickly to re-sign some of their top young talent this offseason. Players like Christian Benford and Greg Rousseau saw market-value deals head their way thanks to prior years of service.
There are still a few who have not received a deal yet, though. And in the case of one star on the Bills, his pending contract will leave plenty of people turning their heads to Orchard Park to see what ends up happening.
James Cook is coming off a year where he led the league in rushing touchdowns with 16 and has recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He has been a model of consistency since arriving in Buffalo.
He has also said he's looking for a new contract worth close to $15 million per year this offseason. That's something Bills general manager Brandon Beane has been reluctant to give at this point.
And it's that reluctance that has some wondering if a deal will ever get done.
"Just because we don't get an extension done now, or before the start of the league year, doesn't mean we won't in the league year, or you guys have seen us do them in the summer as well," said Beane while addressing reporters at the NFL Combine.
Are the Bills right to not be panicking about Cook? Should Bills Mafia be fine not panicking just yet?
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The answer is an uncomfortable yes for one simple reason: Josh Allen.
With the league MVP at quarterback, Buffalo doesn't have to worry about who the top runner on the organization is at this point. They will be competitive if Cook is on the roster or not.
And with that reality, there's no reason to get a deal done when they don't absolutely need to have one.
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This story was originally published March 23, 2025 at 2:32 PM.