Has James Cook Changed the Bills Draft Plans?
Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
It’s only a couple of weeks into the offseason for the Buffalo Bills, but it appears they may have already been thrown a curveball by running back James Cook. The 25-year-old is coming off a year where he rushed for over 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns, and now he’s entering the final year of his rookie contract.
It’s not surprising that he wants to be paid in his new deal, but he really raised eyebrows when he pinned a comment during an Instagram Live saying “15 mill year”
#Bills star RB James Cook, who is eligible for an extension this offseason, went live on Instagram and pinned his own comment that says “15 mill year” pic.twitter.com/XZB3W9q5SG
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) February 12, 2025
Now negotiations will need to happen, and that number could go down as the two sides hash it out. Still, if that’s what James Cook is looking for, the Bills should be thinking about using one or two of their 10 draft picks to help improve the running back room.
Not only did Cook say he wants $15 million, but he has scrubbed his social media of any mention of the Bills, outside of his Pro Bowl picture. This could just be posturing before contract talks, or it could be a sign that he doesn’t believe negotiations are going to be very fruitful. Cook also unfollowed the Bills’ Instagram account.
If Cook were to get his wish and earn $15 million a year, that would make him the second-highest-paid running back in the league, only behind Christian McCaffrey, who is making $19 million a year. But Bills’ coach Sean McDermott has spoken highly of the former University of Georgia standout and has made clear that he wants him back long-term.
“What a game he played. What a year he had, and that’s a great example of these players,” said McDermott. “We really drafted James to be a pass-catching running back, right? And he comes in and blossoms and just develops in more ways than one. On the field, off the field.”
No matter how much the Bills value Cook’s contributions, though, Buffalo is trying to build a Super Bowl contender. Every dollar they allocate to running back instead of another position of need could make the difference between reaching the ultimate goal and falling short again. The Bills are currently projected to have negative-$17.3 million cap space in 2025, and in 2026, the Bills are projected to have just $20.7 million. Compare to that to the New York Jets, who are projected to have over $70 million in 2026.
While Cook is looking for a contract that would have a cap hit over $15 million, someone who wouldn’t carry that type of cap hit in 2026 would be… any running back selected in the 2025 Draft.
This upcoming draft class is loaded at running back, and it’s not just the guys at the top. Yes, Ashton Jeanty could be a generation talent at running back and won’t fall to the Bills, but are we sure he’s the only one? For the Bills to get someone who could be a game-changer in the backfield, they don’t need to take someone in the first round. Dylan Sampson is someone who could end up falling to them in, say, Round 4, where he would be a steal. Sampson is one of the fastest plays in the draft, having been clocked at a 4.35 40-yard dash.
Even if the Bills don’t want to use a 4th-round pick on him, plenty of intriguing sleeper options coming at the end of the draft. Damien Martinez is someone who has been getting a lot of buzz after a 10-touchdown season with Miami, and he would look really good in Buffalo if they use a seventh-round pick on him. He’s had consistent production, as well, rushing for at least 982 yards and seven scores in both of his seasons at Oregon State. Even if the Bills and Cook are able to lock up a long-term deal after the draft, Martinez would still make this team better and should be considered.
Maybe the Bills’ plan was always to draft a running back, even before the latest saga with Cook. If that wasn’t the plan, though, the Bills need to seriously consider changing up their draft strategy. If someone like Martinez doesn’t work out, that’s fine — Buffalo wouldn’t have to put much capital into him in the first place. But if he (or any other late flier) works out, it could end up being a Super Bowl-winning decision, giving the Bills strong production on the cheap. Those kinds of decisions are the ones that revolutionize the outlook for the franchise, and Buffalo needs to be looking that way in April.
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