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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen may get a new contract, and running back James Cook is considered “a big part of the Bills’ future” as he enters the final year of his rookie deal.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport provided the scoop on NFL GameDay.
“Certainly has set himself up for a nice payday, is extension eligible this year. My understanding is he’s a big part of the Bills’ future,” Rapoport first noted about Cook.
“The issue, though, is that after a transition year for the Bills, taking on all that dead money, they are ready to pay some young stars.
“But Josh Allen may get a new contract, get an adjustment there. Terrel Bernard, Connor McGovern, Christian Benford, Greg Rousseau, there’s a long line of really talented young Bills players waiting for paydays.”
Rapoport dropped the report as the Bills are getting set to host the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC Divisional Round matchup on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Allen signed a six-year, $258 million extension with the Bills in Aug. 2021, and that deal takes him through the 2028 season.
That deal now pales in comparison to his peers around the league, though. Per Over the CapAllen’s total contract value is sixth in the NFL. His average per year is even lower, at 14th.
As other quarterbacks have come due for new contracts, they’ve reset the market and toppled Allen’s payday.
However, Allen is one of the top (if not the best) signal-callers in football right now. He’s in a two-man race for the NFL MVP award with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson after accounting for 40 total touchdowns (28 passing, 12 rushing) and 4,262 yards (3,731 passing, 531 rushing) en route to guiding the Bills to 13 wins and the AFC’s No. 2 seed. An adjusted contract makes sense.
An extension for Cook does as well given how integral he’s been to Buffalo’s powerful offense, which finished with the second-most points per game in the NFL. Cook finished with 1,267 scrimmage yards and 18 touchdowns. He earned his second straight 1,000-yard rushing season and has now gained 4.9 yards per carry in his three years in the league.
So the Allen-Cook backfield duo could be seeing raises this offseason. For now, though, they’re trying to lead the Bills past the Ravens and into a playoff rematch with the Kansas Chiefs, who await the Buffalo-Baltimore winner in the AFC Championship Game.