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Buffalo Bills running back James Cook will have a different look next season.
The team announced this week that the second-year back will be wearing a new number in the coming season, ditching the No. 28 he wore in his rookie season in favor of his old college number, No. 4.
Cook could also take on a significantly bigger role with the Bills next season, with the potential to take over the No. 1 role that Devin Singletary played last season before leaving in free agency to join the Houston Texans.
Bills Back Reverts to Bulldogs Number
In 2021, the NFL opened up its jersey guidelines to allow running backs and defensive backs to wear Nos. 1-19, The Associated Press noted. At the time, there was a price for any players who decided to make the change.
“For this year only, players seeking to change numbers within the allowable ranges for their position were required to first buy out all the remaining inventory of jerseys in their likeness through the NFL’s official distributors,” the report noted. “They sell for an average around $200, so there may be a second wave of switchers next year once the tab disappears.”
Cook will now wear the same jersey number that he wore with the Georgia Bulldogs. Cook played a major role in leading Georgia to a national title in his senior season, rushing for 728 yards with four touchdowns and catching another 27 passes for 284 yards and four touchdowns. He was seen as a strong duel threat when the Bills snagged him as the third running back off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft.
James Cook Ready to Build on Rookie Season
Cook’s rookie season got off to a rough start as he fumbled his first NFL carry in the season-opening win over the Los Angeles Rams. The play helped shift momentum to the Rams, who erased a 10-point lead and went into halftime tied, though the Bills would later take control en route to a 31-10 victory.
Cook struggled to find a consistent role over the first half of the season. After an 11-carry game in a Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans, Cook had just seven combined carries over the next four weeks.
But Cook saw his role increase as the season went on, eventually gaining an equal share to Singeltary. Over the final seven weeks of the season, Cook had an average of eight carries and 48.3 yards per game, a 6.0-yards-per-carry average. The rookie back finished the season with 507 yards and a 5.7-yards-per-carry average, adding two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown.
The Bills lost Singletary in free agency, potentially paving the way for Cook to be the primary ballcarrier. Bills head coach Sean McDermott said after the season that he was excited to see what Cook can do in his second year, pointing to the improvement that he had shown over the course of the season.
“I like James Cook, (he) had a really good first season — in particular, the back half of his first season,” McDermott said. “And we look forward to getting him back at the proper time and seeing what he can do in Year 2 for us.”
