The conversation around the future of the running back position for the Buffalo Bills will remain active for some time — unless the club re-signs James Cook to a contract extension in the near future. It’s been a hotly contested topic here on Buffalo Rumblings, across social media, and on the airwaves in Buffalo.
Our friends at WGR 550 AM posted an interesting question early in training camp, as hosts Jeremy White and Joe DiBiase were discussing the position. White and DiBiase posted a question for
listeners, asking if they would prefer the Bills sign Cook for a deal averaging $11 million per season, or use a second-round draft pick on his replacement.
What's a better idea?
— WGR 550 (@WGR550) July 24, 2025
A: Pay James Cook 11 million per year
OR
B: Spend a second round pick on a running back
I was personally surprised by the results, as 53.4% of the 3,333 fans who voted opted to pay Cook. In full transparency, I also picked option “A” with the Bills paying Cook $11 million per season. While this would be considerably less than the $15 million that Cook mentioned earlier this offseason on social media, it would easily make him one of the top-10 paid running backs in the NFL.
While the WGR poll may be closed, I’m interested in getting a pulse from our readers on these two options. Which of these two choices would you choose? Share your thoughts in the comments section below and we can continue the conversation.
In fact, let’s run the same poll here (tip ‘o the hat to WGR 550 AM for the idea):
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