Bills are the surprising winner of massive Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor contracts

Remember when the Buffalo Bills were agonizing over how much they'd have to pay running back James Cook when negotiating his extension in 2025? Well, they should be thankful he put pen to paper then instead of in today's market for the position.

The Detroit Lions made their star rusher, Jahmyr Gibbs, the highest paid RB in the NFL (by new-money average) with his three-year, $67.5 million extension announced on Thursday. That deal could be worth up to $75.75 million, and it was directly in response to the two other major RB extensions signed over the last 72 hours.

Earlier Thursday, the Indianapolis Colts inked Jonathan Taylor to a two-year, $44 million contract extension. On Wednesday, the Atlanta Falcons secured Bijan Robinson with a three-year, $75 million deal. All three of Gibbs, Robinson and Taylor now top the market despite finishing behind Cook in rushing yards last season. That fact makes Cook's deal look like a disrespectful lowball in hindsight.

Bills locked down James Cook for nothing compared to Lions, Falcons, Colts star extensions

Buffalo is paying the NFL's top rusher from 2025 a meager $11.5 million per season. That doesn't even crack the top 10 at the position (he's No. 12). The Bills have Cook on a steal of a contract until after the 2029 campaign, which would be his age-30 season.

To be fair to Taylor, Robinson and Gibbs, that trio all lands in the top 5 in rushing yards since the 2024 campaign (nos. 3, 4 and 5 respectively). Cook sits right behind them, and that group only trails Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry. But with the pressure mounting on the Bills to at least appear in their first Super Bowl since 1994, having Cook around on a bargain deal to supplement quarterback Josh Allen's already-great talents is paramount. Acquiring DJ Moore as the new WR1 makes 2026 even more of a Super Bowl-or-bust campaign. There's nowhere else to point except on-field execution, because the pocketbooks can't be that tight.

Cook is only eating up $28.82 in guaranteed money from Buffalo, which is miniscule compared to Robinson's $51 million guaranteed and Gibbs' $51.5 million. And in the event Cook demands a trade or the team has to (inexplicably) commence in a fire sale between now and the end of his deal 2029, he'd be at the top of the list for interested buyers thanks to a manageable salary cap hit.

The Bills got away with one here compared to the rushers in Cook's level of ability. That'll be a double-edged sword as this season progresses if there's no sign of a championship run, though. General manager Brandon Beane needs to make the most of this asset either on the field or in trade negotiations lest a smart contract result in diminishing returns.

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