Ending what had been the biggest story line to date from Buffalo Bills training camp, on Wednesday, the Bills and Pro Bowl running back James Cook came to terms on a four-year, $48 million contract extension with $30 million guaranteed.
Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane has been busy extending his core of young, talented players this offseason, with Cook becoming the sixth player to sign an extension to remain in Western New York.
Today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks leads off by examining the contract extension and discussing how the two sides were able to hammer out a deal.
What we know about the James Cook contract extension
James Cook made it known publicly he wanted to be paid like one of the league’s top running backs, and this deal certainly accomplishes that goal. Cook’s $48 million contract is tied with Josh Jacobs of the Green Bay Packers for the largest in the NFL, and his $12 million average is tied for sixth, trailing the deals signed by Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, and Alvin Kamara.
Critics of a Cook contract extension often pointed to the fact that Cook was often taken off the field on third-down scenarios and when the team ran its two-minute offense, leading to Cook playing only 48% of the team’s snaps last year. We dissect the new deal, hear from Cook on how he’s ready to play football and get reactions to the contract extension from Cook’s teammates.
Highlights from Wednesday’s practice session
Among the key notes from Wednesday’s practice session: starting safety candidates Taylor Rapp and Cole Bishop returned to the practice field; wide receiver Keon Coleman flashed his big-play potential; and Buffalo is severely shorthanded heading into this weekend’s preseason clash vs. the Chicago Bears.
Recapping the major takeaways from Week 2 0f the Bills on HBO’s “Hard Knocks;” learn quarterback Josh Allen’s thoughts on playing in the preseason; explore how much Buffalo’s franchise value has soared over the years; see where the Bills rank on ESPN’s NFL Future Power Rankings; and more!
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