One of Buffalo’s biggest weapons on offense isn’t going anywhere. Bills running back James Cook signed an four-year extension Wednesday through the 2029 season.
While negotiations took place, both the Bills and Cook expressed staying in Buffalo was ideal.
“It’s a great organization,” James Cook said earlier this offseason of why he wanted to be in Buffalo. “They drafted me. They drafted me for a reason, I feel like. And I’m willing to be here and spend my career here.”
“As I’ve said all along, I love James Cook,” general manager Brandon Beane shared during training camp. “I want nothing more. You know how I am. I want to draft, develop, re-sign our own.”
Drafting, developing and re-signing isn’t just lip service. Cook joins cornerback Christian Benford, wide receiver Khalil Shakir and linebacker Terrel Bernard as the fourth player to sign an extension from the 2022 draft class.
Now with Cook in Buffalo through 2029, Beane is excited about his future in Buffalo’s offense.
“We’re excited with where he’s at, and he’s still a young talent,” Beane said Wednesday shortly after Cook signed. “And as we’ve said in here, don’t think he’s been overtaxed, or a guy that his the tread on his tires is getting worn by any means.”
Cook burst onto the scene in 2024 as he took on more responsibilities and showcased his speed, strength and vision to NFL fans at large. The RB was tough to stop on the ground and in the passing game as he scored a whopping 108 points for the offense last season.
Cook’s 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024 tied for the most in the league and tied for the most in a single season in Bills history (O.J. Simpson – 1975).
The fourth-year player finished last year with 207 carries, 1,009 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns, as well as 32 catches for 258 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. It marked Cook’s second straight season of at least 1,000 yards on the ground, becoming the first Bill to do so since LeSean McCoy from 2016-17.
Cook also had his best postseason in 2024 as the RB rushed for 272 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns in three total games. The two-time Pro Bowler has made strides in each of his last three seasons, going from 507 rushing yards in 2022 to 1,122 in 2023 and two rushing touchdowns in 2023 to 16 in 2024.
In the three years he’s been a Bill, Cook has racked up 533 carries for 2,638 rushing yards (average 4.9 yards per rush) and 20 rushing touchdowns, as well as 97 catches for 883 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns in 49 games and 29 starts.
Cook was originally drafted by the Bills in the second round (63rd overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He played collegiate football for the University of Georgia and is from Miami, Fla.
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