James Cook

Buffalo Bills, Running Back
Age: 26y-5m-10d (Sep 25, 1999)
Exp: 4 Years
Country: US
College: Georgia
Drafted: Round 2 (#63 overall), 2022
Agent(s): Zachary Hiller, Matt Leist (LAA Sports)
2026 Cap Hit

$5,880,000

2026 Cash

$10,000,000

Career Earnings

$14,933,682

2025-2029 Rookie Extension (CURRENT)

James Cook signed a 4 year, $46,000,000 contract with the Buffalo Bills, including $9,000,000 signing bonus, $28,820,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $11,500,000. In 2026, Cook will earn a base salary of $2,010,000, a signing bonus of $7,400,000 and a workout bonus of $250,000, while carrying a cap hit of $5,880,000 and a dead cap value of $16,610,000.
Contract Terms:
4 yr(s) / $46,000,000
Average Salary:
$11,500,000
Signing Bonus:
$9,000,000
GTD at Sign:
$15,280,000
Total GTD:
$28,820,000
Free Agent:
2030 / UFA
MANAGE CONTRACT
Year Age Status Cap HitAnnual Cap % League Cap Cash Annual Cash Cumulative Dead Cap Annual
2025 26 $3,435,374 1.23% $10,280,000 $10,280,000 $15,635,374
2026 27 $5,880,000 1.94% $10,000,000 $20,280,000 $16,610,000
2027 28 $13,000,000 4.08% $9,720,000 $30,000,000 $11,320,000
2028 29 $14,551,000 4.35% $11,271,000 $41,271,000 $8,040,000
2029 30 $14,280,000 3.92% $11,000,000 $52,271,000 $4,760,000
2030 31
Void
UFA
 $1,480,000 0.37% - $52,271,000 $1,480,000
Year Age Status Base P5 Salary Signing Proration Active/GM Roster Bonus Option Proration Workout Bonus Cap Hit Cap % League Dead Cap
2025 26 $1,280,000 $2,155,374 - - - $3,435,374 1.23% $15,635,374
2026 27 $2,010,000 $1,800,000 $340,000 $1,480,000 $250,000 $5,880,000 1.94% $16,610,000
2027 28 $9,130,000 $1,800,000 $340,000 $1,480,000 $250,000 $13,000,000 4.08% $11,320,000
2028 29 $10,681,000 $1,800,000 $340,000 $1,480,000 $250,000 $14,551,000 4.35% $8,040,000
2029 30 $10,410,000 $1,800,000 $340,000 $1,480,000 $250,000 $14,280,000 3.92% $4,760,000
2030 31
Void
UFA
 - - - $1,480,000 - $1,480,000 0.37% $1,480,000
Year Age Status Base P5 Salary Signing Bonus Active/Gm Roster Bonus Option Bonus Workout Bonus Cash Total Cash Cumulative Cash Remaining
2025 26 $1,280,000 $9,000,000 - - - $10,280,000 $10,280,000 $52,271,000
2026 27 $2,010,000 - $340,000 $7,400,000 $250,000 $10,000,000 $20,280,000 $41,991,000
2027 28 $9,130,000 - $340,000 - $250,000 $9,720,000 $30,000,000 $31,991,000
2028 29 $10,681,000 - $340,000 - $250,000 $11,271,000 $41,271,000 $22,271,000
2029 30 $10,410,000 - $340,000 - $250,000 $11,000,000 $52,271,000 $11,000,000
2030 31
Void
 - - - - - - $52,271,000 -
Contract Notes
  • $15.28M guaranteed at sign (signing bonus + 2025 salary + $5M of 2026 salary)
  • Additional $4.41M of 2026 salary fully guarantees 2/9/2026 (injury guaranteed at sign)
  • $6.22M of 2027 salary fully guarantees the 5th league day of 2026 (injury guaranteed at sign)
  • Additional $2.91M of 2027 salary fully guarantees the 5th league day of 2027 (injury guaranteed at sign)
  • $1.18M of 2028 salary injury guaranteed only
  • 2026 Option Bonus: $7.4M
  • 2026-29 Per Game Active Bonus: $20,000 ($340,000)
  • $1M Escalator 2028/2029 (2 seasons w/ 45% playing time + playoff berth)
    2028 salary escalated from $9.681M to $10.681M per 2025 vest
  • 2030 year voids 23 days before the league year
Source: PFT

2022-2025 Rookie

Contract Terms:
4 yr(s) / $5,832,057
Average Salary:
$1,458,014
Signing Bonus:
$1,421,496
GTD at Sign:
$2,391,590
Total GTD:
$2,391,590
Free Agent:
2026 / UFA
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Seasons

4 Years

Career Earnings thru 2026

$14,933,682

Earnings w/ Different Teams

1 team

Earnings Per Year

Year Age Team(s) Status Cash Total Cash Cumulative Awards
2022 23
Active
$2,126,496
$2,126,496
2023 24
Active
$970,094
$3,096,590
 Afc Pro Bowl:RB
2024 25
Active
$1,557,092
$4,653,682
2025 26
Active
$10,280,000
$14,933,682
 Afc Pro Bowl:RB All NFL (2nd)
Total      
$14,933,682
$14,933,682
2026 27
Active
$10,000,000
2027 28
Active
$9,720,000
2028 29
Active
$11,271,000
2029 30
Active
$11,000,000
Total
$56,924,682

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
4 $4,115,282 $10,421,496 - - $75,000 $321,904 $14,933,682
Year Team(s) Age Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Workout Incentives Cash Total Cash Cumulative
2022
23
$705,000
$1,421,496
$2,126,496
$2,126,496
2023
24
$970,094
$970,094
$3,096,590
2024
25
$1,160,188
$75,000
$321,904
$1,557,092
$4,653,682
2025
26
$1,280,000
$9,000,000
$10,280,000
$14,933,682
Total
$4,115,282
$10,421,496
$75,000
$321,904
$14,933,682
$14,933,682
2026
27
$2,010,000
$7,400,000
$250,000
$10,000,000
2027
28
$9,130,000
$250,000
$9,720,000
2028
29
$10,681,000
$250,000
$11,271,000
2029
30
$10,410,000
$250,000
$11,000,000
Total
$36,346,282
$10,421,496
$7,400,000
$1,075,000
$321,904
$56,924,682

Earnings Per Team

Years Team Base Signing Roster Restructure Option Incentives Cash Cumulative
4 $4,115,282 $10,421,496 - - $75,000 $321,904 $14,933,682
  • Aug 13, 2025 Signed a 4 year $46 million contract extension with Buffalo (BUF)
  • May 13, 2022 Signed a 4 year $5.83 million contract with Buffalo (BUF)
  • Apr 29, 2022 Drafted by Buffalo (BUF): Round 2 (#63 overall)
Year Team GP GS Snaps Snaps% Rush Attempts Rush Yards Rush Yards/Gm Rush Touchdowns Rec Targets Rec Receptions Rec Yards Rec Yards/Rec Rec Yards/Gm Rec Touchdowns Fum
2025 BUF 17 17 639 56.45 309 1,621 95.4 12 40 33 291 8.8 17.1 2 6
2024 BUF 16 16 485 44.66 207 1,009 63.1 16 38 32 258 8.1 16.1 2 1
2023 BUF 17 13 634 54.51 237 1,122 66.0 2 54 44 445 10.1 26.2 4 4
2022 BUF 16 0 269 24.88 89 507 31.7 2 32 21 180 8.6 11.3 1 1
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