Most important Bills players of 2026: No. 4 James Cook

James Cook enters the Buffalo Bills’ 2026 countdown as the team’s No. 4 most important player, returning as the clear-cut lead running back after a standout 2025. Cook, 26, is in his fifth NFL season and carries a 2026 cap hit of $5,880,000. In 2025, he signed a four-year, $48 million extension following a brief holdout, then played in every game while winning the league rushing title with 1,621 yards and a rushing-yards-per-game mark of 95.4. He added 291 receiving yards and 14 total touchdowns. For 2026, the Bills expect another heavy workload and are looking to expand his role in the passing game, an area where he has averaged 32.5 catches per year over his career.