The Buffalo Bills have been rather proactive this offseason, re-signing their own as they look to consolidate the roster that made it to the AFC Championship game last season.
Khalil Shakir, Greg Rousseau, Terrel Bernard, and Reid Ferguson have all signed extensions this offseason as key pieces of Sean McDermott's team are sticking around.
But now we come to perhaps what could be viewed as the most important signature that the Bills must get this offseason - James Cook.
With the flurry of extensions, is Cook the next in line to get a deal done?
Granted, wanting roughly $15 million APY, and possibly more now given Saquon Barkley's new two-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles that pays him $20 million APY, Cook will be looking to be one of the highest-paid backs in football.
With the flurry of extensions, should Cook be next?
Logic would say yes, but as always, salary is the most important issue when evaluating the next contract, and for Cook, the Bills might not feel comfortable paying upwards of $15 million a year for a running back.
Even one who has rushed for over 1,000 yards in his last two seasons and is coming off a 2024 season where he rushed for 19 touchdowns (including playoffs), some are hesitant.
But that is the going rate and with the Bills seemingly close to getting over that playoff hump, losing Cook wouldn't be ideal and he is a big factor in how offensive coordinator Joe Brady likes his unit to run.
The Bills have moved swiftly to sign four key players, now attention must turn to figuring out Cook's future.
