There is no way around it. The Buffalo Bills had to do it. Their Super Bowl window is open ahead of this season, but it could soon be closing before their very eyes. With quarterback Josh Allen coming off an NFL MVP season, they had to pay his running mate in Pro Bowl running back James Cook. While he may be my Dawg out of Georgia, we all know how Cook's older brother Dalvin quickly fizzled out...
So in the immediate wake of his four-year, $48 million extension, with $30 million of that being fully guaranteed, the Bills inadvertently put other teams' heads into the vise. Yes, the NFL salary cap will continue to grow, but not at the rate in which some of the game's best players need to be paid. Cook is a good running back who got great money. What does it say about the greats who are underpaid?
It may not present itself right away, but the amount of years and guaranteed money from Cook's deal may come back to haunt a handful of other NFL teams. Frankly, there could be more than just these five... However, I would argue they are the most negatively effected because either they have a star running back on their roster who is underpaid, or have a team philosophy built on running the football.
Let's start with a team who will only win big under its new head coach if they continue to run the ball.
5. Chicago Bears
I have the Chicago Bears listed at No. 5 for a few reasons. While it remains to be seen if fellow Georgia star D'Andre Swift gets another big contract in his NFL career or not, I do know that new Bears head coach Ben Johnson loves to run the football. I would venture to guess that the Bears will invest heavily in this position group in the years to come, should Johnson prove to be a successful coach.
However, where the Bears need to start thinking about spending money would be at its other skill position groups. Guys like Caleb Williams, Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland were all recent first-round picks. Again, the pie is growing, but only at a certain rate. For as important as pounding the rock was for Ben Johnson when he was on the Detroit coaching staff, I would expect that to continue.
The Bears have a longer runway than others to address this, but it might cost them Swift in the end...
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
Yes, this signing does impact the Jacksonville Jaguars quite a bit, too. While Travis Etienne could be on his way out, Tank Bigsby is entering his prime. I would venture to guess that new general manager James Gladstone will want to keep new head coach Liam Coen happy. Factor in Jaguars legend Tony Boselli having a bigger role with this team, and the Jaguars are going to want to run the ball as well.
Where I think this gets complicated, beyond merely that of Etienne and Bigsby, is Jacksonville's strength seems to lie on the offensive side of the ball at wide receiver. Even though quarterback Trevor Lawrence has already gotten paid, Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter are only going to get more expensive. In short, Jacksonville may not be able to pay all their guys and get its defense fixed.
Right now, the Jaguars need to find a way to push for the playoffs either this season, or likely in 2026.
3. Seattle Seahawks
Trying to predict what the Seattle Seahawks' front office is going to do is not for the faint of heart. John Schneider is one of the most underrated general managers in all of football. He has had such tremendous staying power in the Pacific Northwest, far beyond that of his former head coach Pete Carroll. Frankly, I would not be shocked if he outlasts his new-ish head coach Mike Macdonald, too.
What I am getting at is Schneider has probably prepared for the notion that he may have to pay Seahawks running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet more than he envisioned. Then again, this is the team that preferred to run it with Chris Carson over Rashaad Penny. Neither Walker or Charbonnet are Marshawn Lynch, but I would not be stunned if either got paid like he should have.
The only thing that matters for Seattle right now is Sam Darnold proving last season was not a fluke.
2. Atlanta Falcons
No doubt about it, this really puts my beloved Atlanta Falcons into a tough spot. Not only is third-year pro Bijan Robinson among the five best running backs in the game already, but this is a contract year for his running mate in former fifth-round pick Tyler Allgeier out of BYU. Atlanta still needs to figure out what it wants to do with Kyle Pitts after this year. The Falcons also must pay Drake London, too.
Although general manager Terry Fontenot seems to like extending his Falcons players early like his predecessor Thomas Dimitroff once loved to do, it should be noted that it often got Dimitroff into trouble. Since neither typically hits on days two and three of the NFL Draft, the pressure is on the Falcons now to make sure no feathers get ruffled. Only so many of their players are going to get paid.
Atlanta will prioritize extending London and then Robinson above all else, but then at what great cost?
1. Detroit Lions
Over the last few weeks, I am increasingly convinced that the Detroit Lions missed their Super Bowl window with this core. While I do think they can still win one eventually with Jared Goff at quarterback and Aidan Hutchinson out on the edge, it is probably not going to be with David Montgomery, and it remains to be seen what becomes of Jahmyr Gibbs. Detroit loved to run the ball with Ben Johnson.
While I would expect for them to try to do the same thing under Johnson's successor John Morton, many of the great players general manager Brad Holmes mined in previous drafts are due up for extensions. I really hate this for well-run teams like the Lions who did all the right things, and will still likely fail at being able to re-sign everyone of note. They will prioritize Gibbs over Montgomery in this.
The amount of guaranteed money Cook is getting could be the sticking point in the Lions extending.