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James Cook returns to practice after hold-in, contract dispute with Bills

Danby: Daniel Hager08/12/25DanielHagerOn3
James-Cook-returns-to-practice-after-hold-in-contract-dispute-with-Bills
© Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is expected to return to practice on Tuesday after previously holding-in due to a contract dispute with the franchise. Cook has been named a Pro Bowler in two of his three NFL seasons (all with the Bills) and was the league’s co-rushing touchdowns leader last season (16).

The Georgia alum is heading into the final season of his rookie contract, where he’ll be making $5,701,374. Through his first three seasons, he’s made a total of $4,653,682.

“James Cook is expected to practice today,” Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott revealed Tuesday morning. “I would say so that things have changed. And yes, we’ve had conversations with James. Good conversations as I’ve mentioned before. The information that we’re getting is that he is moving in the direction of practicing today.“

Cook’s return to practice comes exactly a week after fellow running back Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams signed a three-year, $33M extension with the franchise, making him the seventh highest-paid running back in the league. Although Williams totaled 290 more rush yards last season, Cook found the endzone two more times.

The Miami native was a four-star recruit out of Miami Central (Miami, FL) and was the No. 39 ranked player in the Class of 2018. He committed to the University of Georgia, where he’d play from 2018-2021. While a member of the Georgia roster, Cook rushed for 1,503 yards and 14 touchdowns and won the College Football Playoff National Championship in his final season of collegiate football.

He was selected with the No. 63 overall pick in the Second Round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Bills and has solidified himself as the franchise running back in that span. In three seasons, Cook has played in 49 games. He boasts 2,638 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 533 attempts, along with 97 receptions for 883 yards and seven more scores.

“At the end of the day, I wish we weren’t here,” Bills GM Brandon Beane said during an interview with WGR550 last week. “This is my ninth season here. We’ve never had a player miss due to a contract or anything like that, so that’s disappointing for me. It’s not something we want.”

For now however, Cook has returned to football activities. The franchise and their star running back still have a season remaining to work on an extension before he would become an unrestricted free agent following the 2025 season.