The Buffalo Bills won’t have full attendance at their OTAs, which is fairly typical for veteran players. However, one notable absence is starting running back James Cook, who has a particular reason for skipping the sessions — he’s seeking one of the rare early, high-paying contract extensions for a player at his position.
After previously showing little urgency about his future in Buffalo, Cook now appears to be trying to speed up negotiations by sitting out the team’s optional workouts in late May.
James Cook Not Present At OTAs In May
According to ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg, Bills head coach Sean McDermott addressed James Cook’s absence and didn’t appear overly concerned.
“We’re staying in touch, just like you’d expect between a player and a coach,” McDermott said. “James will be here when he’s ready, and we’ll keep moving forward.”
Getzenberg also reported that Cook’s push for a new contract has been fueled by two main factors: several of his 2022 draft classmates have recently received extensions, and he’s coming off the most productive season of his young career.
Now entering the final year of his rookie contract, Cook is seeking a new deal after the Bills extended linebacker Terrel Bernard, wide receiver Khalil Shakir, and cornerback Christian Benford earlier this offseason. At 25, Cook is coming off a breakout campaign in which he tied a franchise record with 16 rushing touchdowns—after scoring just two in each of his first two seasons. He’s also been vocal about his contract goals, including an Instagram Live session where he pinned a message reading “15 mill \[per] year.”
What Does The Locker Room Think Of The James Cook Situation?
Some of the Bills’ veteran leaders have weighed in on James Cook’s contract situation, including four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Dion Dawkins.
“We kind of feel like it’s out of our hands, and whatever’s happening behind the scenes will get worked out,” Dawkins said. “What I do know is that around here, we take care of our own. Sometimes it takes longer for some guys than others, and I’m not a GM, so I don’t have the answers. But Cook’s a good dude, he works hard, and we know how Beane operates—or don’t know, depending on the day—but he’ll get it figured out. Hopefully, we’ll see our guy Cook back soon.”
As for Cook’s reported asking price of \$15 million per year, that might be a stretch from the Bills’ perspective. Only three running backs currently earn that much annually—Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, and Derrick Henry—who are widely regarded as the league’s elite when healthy.
While Cook is undoubtedly talented, he likely ranks closer to 10th than top 5 among NFL running backs. Comparably, standout backs like Josh Jacobs and Alvin Kamara are earning in the \$12 million range, which may be a more realistic benchmark for Cook’s value.
Still, when it comes to NFL contracts, the final number often comes down to timing, leverage, and negotiation—making it difficult to predict where things will ultimately land.
