3x Super Bowl champ weighs in on James Cook playing out 2025 season with Bills - "You're not getting a Saquon Barkley deal"

James Cook is looking to play out the 2025 season with the Buffalo Bills, even as he seeks a monstrous contract extension as a condition of remaining beyond that. However, at least one person does not foresee his wish being granted.

The two-time Pro Bowl running back has proven his worth to the reigning AFC East champion in the last two seasons, breaching 1,000 rushing yards in both of them and co-leading the league in rushing touchdowns in 2024 with 16. But during the recently concluded annual meetings, General Manager Brandon Beane admitted that negotiations between the two sides had stalled and no positive development might emerge "anytime soon".

As for former three-time Super Bowl-winning guard Mark Schlereth, the situation will remain that way come actual game time. Speaking on Wednesday's episode of FS1's "Breakfast Ball", he said:

"You're not gonna get $15M so you're gonna have to settle for $7-8M, are you worth that? Absolutely. You're not getting a Saquon Barkley deal."

This comes after Ian Rapoport shared a "not great" development twice on Pat McAfee's eponymous show, adding he would remain on the team for the upcoming season.

In a potential harbinger of his post-2025 future, Cook has even put up his $710,000 Orchard Park house for sale.

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Bills' sophomore running back predicted to break out in 2025 amidst James Cook's contract standoff

In a way, the Bills' "Everybody Eats" mantra ensures that no one player ends up dominating the team's offensive production at the expense of the others, just as it happened with Stefon Diggs and might happen with James Cook.

And for Sports Illustrated's Randy Gurzi, the incoming fourth-year veteran's unhappiness at his contract could benefit one player in particular: Sophomore Ray Davis.

"Davis might not have as much of a leap in numbers, but like Cook, his workload is likely to increase which should result in a much better season for the former [Kentucky] Wildcat. Whether they want to admit [it or not], it would also be a way for Buffalo to see if they need to change their stance on Cook’s extension," Gurzi wrote via SI.com.

The 2024 fourth-rounder carried the ball 113 times for 442 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching 17 passes for another 189 and three TDs.

How do you think James Cook will fare with the Buffalo Bills next season? Will he pass the 1,000-yard mark once again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.