Buffalo Bills running back, James Cook, enters the final year of his rookie deal. He is eligible for an extension and appeared to indicate his initial asking price on Instagram. $15 million per year is a large ask. Most reactions shared the belief that his play wasn’t enough to warrant an amount that high. Team priorities and the value of individual players can change for franchises. This becomes especially true if the market reacts to a major reset.
Saquon Barkley recently signed an NFL record-breaking, two-year, $41.2 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. Cook quote shared the Adam Schefter post on X with the eyes emoji. He later quote shared NFL Network’s post of Barkley’s news with ‘I love you Buffalo’ and two heart emojis.
Not all situations are the same, but it’s needed to compare the roles of the two RBs. The Eagles’ player arguably had the most impact on any team. Outside of quarterback, Barkley running for 2,504 yards would have warranted the most MVP consideration.
Take James Cook in the Bills offense. He rushed for 1,009 yards and proved to be a good red zone target with 16 scores. This tied for first in this category with Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs. The difference is that Josh Allen is the clear leader in Buffalo.
If Cook and Barkley switched places, not too many would expect the Eagles’ rushing game to come close to this past season’s production. The Western New York crowd would conversely slate their team as automatic Super Bowl favorites. This stark contrast illustrates why Cook’s number is a tough ask.
One aspect, however, that needs to be considered is how the team has benefited from his increased touches. As a rookie, he had 89 attempts and 507 yards. His second and third years had 200+ rushes and two Pro Bowl nods. Cook managed over 1,000 yards on the ground in both of those years.
More importantly, handing the ball off allowed Allen to play more within himself. Buffalo had a strong run game and defense to lean on. The Bills needed their QB to put on his so-called Superman cape less frequently. This balanced approach brought success, and only the Kansas City Chiefs have stood in their way in the playoffs.
Coach Sean McDermott’s team is close, they’re certainly among the legitimate contenders. Taking away and not securing a key piece would be harder to replace than what some may realize. Chemistry and familiarity are also two important pillars for winning organizations.
James Cook needs to be secured to a long-term deal. His current price may be too high, but a win-win scenario could be reached through incentives and bonuses. Getting a reasonable deal done will help both sides and should be attainable.
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