James Cook reacts to Saquon Barkley’s record breaking contract extension amid tensed situation with Bills
Saquon Barkley's contract extension with the Philadelphia Eagles drew a lot of attention around the NFL, with not only fans and analysts but also colleagues reacting to the running back's new deal. On Tuesday, the Eagles extended Barkley's stay with a two-year $41.2 million deal that will keep him at Lincoln Financial Field through the 2028 season.
James Cook took to X (formerly Twitter) to leave a short reaction, as he's also trying to ink a new deal with the Buffalo Bills after becoming the heart of their running game. He only used an emoji of eyes, letting people know he's paying attention to how the market is shifting for RBs.
Cook is set to make a base salary of $5,190,000 and a workout bonus of $75,000. He already hinted that he'd like to get $15 million per year, which would put him below Barkley and Christian McCaffrey on the RB list.
Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday that Barkley's new contract made him the first $20 million-plus per-year RB in NFL history. He will also have the chance to earn up to $15 million in incentives and escalators, as well as $36 million fully guaranteed.
Barkley just finished the first of his three years with Philadelphia after agreeing to a $37,750,000 offer in the 2024 NFL offseason. He came off a strong campaign with the Eagles, leading the league in carries (345), rushing yards (2,005) and third in rushing touchdowns (13). Those numbers made him an MVP candidate and a Super Bowl champion in his first year with the NFC East franchise.
J.J. Watt has strong reaction to Saquon Barkley's contract extension
James Cook wasn't the only NFL player who reacted to Saquon Barkley's new contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. J.J. Watt also shared a message on X to hype up this new deal and note that Barkley has achieved plenty of things in the past year.
"Saquon on a 12 month HEATERRR. Well-deserved my friend, well deserved," Watt tweeted.
After a failed negotiation with the New York Giants, Barkley was shown the exit door by the team. Despite not being an easy situation to move on, the former Penn State star quickly changed the focus on his new chapter. The Eagles offered him a solid deal and the chance to compete for a Vince Lombardi trophy. They ultimately did it, with Barkley playing a key role in their success.