The running back is eligible for an extension entering Year 4 and indicated that he’s seeking $15 million per year. Beane noted during the NFL’s Annual League Meeting that he didn’t foresee a deal before the draft. Now that the selection process is over, the GM didn’t sound concerned about the lack of a pact affecting his lead-back being ready for the season.
“Sometimes, business gets in the way, we understand that,” Beane told Schein of Cook’s absence from workouts. “Jimbo, he is a competitive dude. He loves playing for this team. He loves being a part of it. He loves his role here. And he fits this offense really well. I think it’s been a great fit for him and it’s been fun to watch him the first three years. Every year, he’s taken a step, and to see him get the accolades he got last season was cool. … Where he’s come from, he was looked at as kind of maybe a third-down back or a change-of-pace back, and he proved he could play on all downs. And he’ll continue to work on that.”
Cook has proven to be a difference-maker out of the Bills’ backfield, but Buffalo still used him in a committee with Ty Johnson and Ray Davis. Of the 16 players to break the 1,000-yard mark in 2024, Cook tied for the fewest carries with 207 (rookie Bucky Irving). Given the club’s approach, will they be comfortable with giving the back a significant raise? It’s a delicate balance of committing to a key player while not overstepping their budget.
The Bills hold the leverage, with Cook entering the final year of his contract and the franchise tag at their disposal in 2026. The running back electing to stay away while searching for a new deal is the only form of resistance he can employ at this stage. Given the injury risk for the position, it’s understandable why he’d push to get more security after two big seasons. We’ll get a better sense of Cook’s plans to use that leverage when mandatory minicamp gets underway in June.