Saquon Barkley turned in one of the all-time great seasons for a running back in his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles. As a result, they've inked him to a two-year extension worth $41.2 million, making him the first running back in league history to make over $20 million per year on his deal.
That's good news for other running backs that will soon test the market, like Buffalo Bills back James Cook.
Cook has not been shy about wanting a large deal of his own. After an Instagram comment indicating he wants $15 million per year, he went on Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson and made clear that he wants "the big bucks."
After seeing another running back collect some big bucks, Cook excitedly took to social media.
Good business ! https://t.co/nwfFJNbbt1
— James Cook (@thegreat__4) March 4, 2025
While not yet at Barkley's level, Cook is coming off of back-to-back Pro Bowl campaigns, and finished 2024 with 1,009 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground. Of course, there's no guarantee that general manager Brandon Beane will agree to meet his number—he's already hinted that he doesn’t appreciate Cook’s rather public negotiations.
“I love James. James is a beautiful man, he really is,” Beane said at the NFL scouting combine, per the Syracuse Post-Standard. “I want James here, hopefully, like a lot of guys. The business is the business. Would I prefer we don’t take the business outside? Yes, I think that’s always the best way to handle it. But James is a grown man, and he’ll handle it the way he does. It doesn’t change my view of him.
“Everyone wants what they believe to be their fair market value and I respect that. Again, if I could give him advice, I’d say let’s just keep that in house. But it doesn’t change my viewpoint of him. And I don’t think any differently. When I see him, whenever that is, next week, spring, whenever, I’m going to give him a hug, love him up and tell him let’s roll.”
Cook is currently set to make $5.19 million on the final year of his rookie deal in '25.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bills' James Cook Was Fired Up by Saquon Barkley's Historic Contract News.
