The Bills are 3-0, the offense is humming, and James Cook III has become one of the biggest reasons Buffalo feels so steady on that side of the ball. That kind of production usually creates comfort. In this case, it may also create a problem.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler pointed to Cook as a potential contract issue next offseason, and the reasoning is easy to follow. Cook already signed a four-year, $46 million extension before the 2025 season, but his production has only pushed his value higher. Fowler wrote, "One contract issue that could come to a head next offseason is that of Buffalo running back James Cook III," and added, "Since signing a four-year, $46 million extension before the 2025 season, Cook has a rushing title and ranks third this year with 346 rushing yards through three games."
That’s the squeeze for Buffalo. Cook has been one of the best backs in the league over the last two seasons, and the running back market has changed fast around him. After the big deals for Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, and the rookie deal of Jeremiyah Love, Cook now sits with the 13th-ranked running back contract.
He may not get all the way to the $20 million per-year range those players reached, but a raise into the neighborhood of $15 million per year would be completely reasonable. Even a deal that creeps closer to $20 million annually would still fit the value Cook has brought.
The Bills don’t have to move on anything immediately. Cook is under contract through the 2029 season. But if he turns in another big year in 2026, Buffalo could decide it makes sense to add more money and another year or two of team control.
At 27, Cook is still squarely in the window where the Bills should want him locked in. He has been a major asset for this offense, and if keeping him means paying a premium, Buffalo should be prepared to do it.
In Other News...
Bills Get One Big Break Ahead Of Patriots Matchup
The Bills opened Week 4 with their first injury report in good shape at the most important spot, because Josh Allen was not listed as they began preparing for their divisional matchup with the Patriots. Buffalo did have a handful of other names on the report, but getting its starting quarterback off the injury list is the kind of early-week development that immediately steadies the conversation around a team heading into a division game.
New Englands report carried its own share of uncertainty, with several players either not practicing or working in a limited capacity, including Christian Barmore and Christian Gonzalez. For Buffalo, the broader picture is simple enough: the Bills are dealing with some practice limitations of their own, but the biggest concern that usually shapes everything else in a week like this is off the board for now. [Read more 🡒]
Jessica Pegula Just Raised A New Bills Ownership Question
Jessica Pegula has spent the last few years building a profile far beyond Buffalo, and now the idea of where she fits into the Bills future is getting a fresh look. In a CNBC interview, the No. 3-ranked tennis player said she might be interested in helping with the organization after her tennis career, a remark that lands in a family context already shaped by the Pegulas long-running ownership of the team and the broader uncertainty around how the next generation gets involved.
For now, there is no official role for Jessica or any other family member beyond the varying levels of involvement they already have, and the family has also made clear it does not intend to sell the teams it owns despite the soaring valuations. Still, with Kim Pegulas health issues part of the backdrop, the question in Buffalo is not just who owns the Bills, but who will actually be around and ready to help steer them when the time comes. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen's Knee Suddenly Looms Over Bills Patriots Week
Josh Allens knee has quickly become the latest subplot for a Bills team trying to keep its early-season momentum rolling into a matchup with the Patriots. After limping off the field following Week 3, the quarterback drew immediate attention, but head coach Joe Brady said he is not worried about the injury and indicated Allen is trending toward being available in Week 4.
Practice reports will tell the rest of the story as the week unfolds, and thats where Buffalo will get its clearest read on how limited, if at all, Allen might be. For a team that runs through its quarterback in so many ways, even a minor health question can shape the entire conversation heading into a divisional game. [Read more 🡒]