A new Buffalo Bills offseason means tough roster decisions will be made.
The Bills are lacking in some key areas in the receiving room and among the defensive line and secondary, but one place they aren’t lacking is running back.
For years, Buffalo lacked a running game with backs Devin Singletary and Zack Moss, and quarterback Josh Allen was responsible for most of the production on the ground.
Allen looked for a running mate out of the backfield for his first few seasons in the league.
Three years ago, the Bills would finally find their franchise running back by drafting Georgia’s James Cook at pick No. 63.
Cook, 25, is coming off his best season, rushing for 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns in 16 games.
Since Cook was not a first-round pick, he is ineligible for a fifth-year option in his contract, which means he will be a free agent at the end of the 2025 season.
Cooks’ Contract Comes at the Best Time for Him
After a player’s third NFL season, they are eligible for a contract extension, and Cook stated last week on an Instagram live video that he wants $15 million a year.
$15 million per season for a running back is a lot of money, but the contract extension comes at the best time for the 25-year-old running back.
This past season, the NFL experienced the running game taking over the league again, with Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley rushing for over 2,000 yards, helping the Eagles win the Super Bowl.
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry rushed for 1,921 and tied Cook for 16 rushing touchdowns, which was a league-high.
The list goes on and on with great running backs on excellent teams, and the NFL is a copycat league.
When one trend works for a team or two, all the other organizations in the league tend to follow.
If the running back is making a comeback, Cook will get paid this offseason.
Buffalo could be the team that pays Cook what he wants, or someone else will pay in a trade.
The Bills must think long and hard about paying their star running back.
It’s hard to let go of Cook when the organization has looked for a running back for years.
However, if giving Cook $15 million a year prevents Buffalo from going after resources to upgrade the defensive line, that could lead the organization down a rough path.
Is Paying Cook Worth it for the Bills
Everyone who watched the Super Bowl saw the Kansas City Chiefs lose because the Eagles’ pass rush chased Patrick Mahomes and sacked him six times without sending a fifth pass rusher once.
Buffalo’s defensive line isn’t as good as the Eagles, and that’s one reason they haven’t beaten Mahomes in the postseason.
With how great Barkley was all season, he only rushed for 53 yards on 25 attempts in the Super Bowl.
Barkley was a factor in why Philadelphia won the Vince Lombardi Trophy, but the Eagles pass rush played a more significant role.
Buffalo has to ask themselves if they can pay Cook and build a defense to get after Mahomes.
The priority is getting as much defensive help as possible, and then it’s paying for their soon-to-be fourth-year running back.
This year’s NFL Draft has a handful of top running back prospects, and Buffalo sits at pick No. 30, so they could get the second-best running back in the draft.
If Cook had the season he just did in 2023 and was eligible for a contract right after, Buffalo would’ve gotten him cheaper because of how the NFL viewed running backs.
The league changes every year, and now everyone wants a running back who can take over the game like Barkley and Henry.
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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