Bills GM Brandon Beane pours cold water on James Cook's extension after $15,000,000 contract demand from RB

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook did not shy away from making his contract demands clear. Cook is coming off a career year in 2024, where he finished with 1,009 rushing yards, his third-straight season breaking the four-figure mark, and a league-best 16 rushing touchdowns.

On an Instagram live stream back in February, the 25-year-old pinned a comment suggesting he was seeking a contract extension that paid him $15 million a year.

However, Buffalo did not cave into his demands and seemingly has no plans to even hand him an extension this offseason.

During an interview with Matthew Bove of WKBW on Sunday, general manager Brandon Beane was asked about Cook's contract demand. He responded:

“I don’t talk about negotiations. I would say his reps and him did put it out there that we did talk, so I’m not sharing anything new. It didn’t lead to anything as far as closing in on a deal, so we moved onto the guys that we were on the same page with. At this point, we’re onto the draft... I don’t see us doing any deals anytime soon.”

The Bills have handed out extensions to several players this offseason, including MVP quarterback Josh Allen, cornerback Christian Benford, defensive end Greg Rousseau, linebacker Terrel Bernard, and wide receiver Khalil Shakir. They plan to reevaluate the roster after the 2025 NFL draft to identify the holes in the team and sign players or hand out new deals.

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James Cook contract extension: Brandon Beane keeping the door open

James Cook has one year left on his rookie deal and is set to earn $5.2 million in 2025 as an extension doesn't appear to be forthcoming this year.

However, things could change in a year. While discussing the running back's contract situation, Brandon Beane added:

“Just because we don’t have James signed today doesn’t mean next year we still can’t get him done before he gets to free agency."

Buffalo seemingly wants James Cook to prove that the 2024 season wasn't a flash in the pan and he can deliver those performances consistently.

The 25-year-old's $15 million demand would make him the third-highest-paid running back in the league behind Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey. The Bills want him to be as productive as those two before handing him the lucrative deal he craves.