The contract saga between the Buffalo Bills and James Cook goes on.
The talented running back participated in pregame drills but didn’t play in the preseason opener against the New York Giants.
Now, as shown by ESPN insider Adam Schefter, Cook is back on the field for practice.
Bills running back James Cook is back at practice today: pic.twitter.com/yXStMxJrmC
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 12, 2025
Head coach Sean McDermott said that they’ve had some good conversations with Cook and his camp about a potential contract extension.
He participated in the first eight days of training camp before sitting out as he continued to push for a new deal.
He revealed that he wants $15 million a season, but the Bills don’t want to meet that asking price.
Also, having Kyren Williams sign a three-year, $33 million contract with the Los Angeles Rams may not have helped Cook’s case.
There hasn’t seemed to be much of a trade market for him, either, so it looks like he doesn’t have a lot of leverage in this situation.
Establishing the run and giving Cook a bigger workload helped quarterback Josh Allen have the best and most efficient season of his career, and the reigning NFL MVP has let it be known that he wants his RB1 on the field.
Judging by the latest developments, and with the start of the season getting closer, it looks like they’re nearing some common ground and can finally put this dispute behind them.
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