James Cook Falls Short of $15M Bills Ask, Signs for $12M Annually

Another NFL training camp stalemate has been resolved, as the Bills signed running back James Cook to a four-year, $48 million contract extension Wednesday.

Cook, 25, was entering the final year of his rookie deal and was set to earn a base salary of $5.27 million this season. He was at Buffalo’s camp but not practicing during contract negotiations. The new-money annual average of $12 million in the extension ties Cook with Packers running back Josh Jacobs for the sixth highest among NFL running backs. Cook had said on social media that he was looking for $15 million per year, which would tie him with Derrick Henry for third among runners. 

Cook’s agents told ESPN and other outlets that $30 million of the new contract is guaranteed money, which would rank third among running backs behind Eagles star Saquon Barkley ($36 million) and Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty ($35.8 million), according to Spotrac.

Last season, Cook’s 1,009 rushing yards ranked 16th in the NFL, but his 16 rushing touchdowns were tied for first in the league. Jahmyr Gibbs and Henry also tallied 16. Cook averaged 4.9 yards per carry, sixth among players with at least 150 attempts.

Cook is the latest Buffalo player to sign a big extension this offseason. Most notably, quarterback Josh Allen signed a six-year, $330 million deal in March.

Around the NFL

While Cook was able to get a deal done, other marquee NFL players have ended their holdouts without new contracts.

Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin and Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson both reported to their respective training camps after pricey stints away from their teams, despite unsuccessful efforts to get a pay raise. 

Meanwhile, Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons continues to stand by his trade demand, as he’s set to make $24 million this season, which is well below the top of the market for his position. Parsons, who is in the fifth and final year of his rookie contract with an average annual salary of $4.3 million, said Dallas owner Jerry Jones refuses to negotiate with his agent. His holdout could stretch into the regular season.