As the Buffalo Bills prepare for the 2026 NFL season, Bills Wire will take a look at the most important contributors on their roster. The team has some cornerstone players who will be returning for another shot at bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Buffalo, and they'll have help from some new additions as well.
Leading up to the season, we will be counting down the top-30 most important players on the roster. We'll recap their 2025 season, look ahead to what they'll offer in 2026, and tackle the most pressing questions surrounding them this coming year.
Next on the countdown is James Cook.
Background
Position: Running back
Age at start of season: 26
Experience: fifth year
2026 cap hit: $5,880,000
2025 recap
In 2025, James Cook signed a four-year, $48 million contract extension
after a short holdout period during the start of training camp. He then went on to prove why he was worth the money with his best season as a pro. He appeared in every game for the Bills, while securing the league's rushing title with 1,621 yards on the ground and breaking out as a star in the league. He added another 291 yards receiving and scored 14 total touchdowns. His 95.4 rushing yards per game led the league.
2026 outlook
Cook again returns as the clear-cut RB1 in a Bills offense that led the NFL in rushing attempts last year with 547. He should get another big workload for 2026 as a key cog in the offense.
Biggest question: Will he be used more in the passing game?
"Anytime you can get the ball in [Cook's] hands, you have an opportunity for a big play," said Bills new offensive coordinator Pete Carmichaelthis offseason. "I think he can bring value not only in the run game but the pass game as well."
While Cook broke out last year as the NFL's rushing leader, there is still more to be desired in the receiving game, and Carmichael might be one to help unlock that in his first season in Buffalp. He has worked with guys in New Orleans like Reggie Bush, Alvin Kamara, and Darren Sproles, who all had at least two seasons with 71 or more catches under Carmichael. Cook has averaged just 32.5 catches per year in his four-year career.
30 most important Bills of 2026
Check back as we continue the countdown on our list of the 30 most important Bills ahead of the 2026 season.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 30 most important Bills players of 2026: No. 4 James Cook
