The Buffalo Bills have been one of the biggest stories of the NFL offseason, and much of it has to do with running back James Cook.
Cook is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and as of now, he has no deal after the 2025 season.
The 25-year-old running back has mentioned before that he wants $15 million per season, which would make him one of the highest-paid running backs.
The only issue is that the Bills are already paying quarterback Josh Allen a lot of money, and he does almost everything for the offense.
James Cook Could Be Looking For $15 Million A Year
Cook is a great player, but paying $15 million for a running back when the offense runs through one of the best quarterbacks, who is also a great runner, is a little steep.
This season could be an evaluation year for Cook, allowing other teams to assess his capabilities so that when he hits the open market next year, teams will be better prepared.
The Bills might not want to give Cook $15 million a season, but there are other teams out there with enough cap room who are having a hard time finding a running back who might want to give Cook a deal.
Even though Cook won’t be a free agent until next season, the issue of him not having a contract could be a concern for the team during training camp, as we have seen stars seeking new deals hold out before.
The Bills Could Have A Cook Issue This Fall
Tyler Sullivan from CBS Sports published his biggest storylines for every AFC team so far through minicamp and thinks that Will James Cook and the Bills’ front office agreeing to a contract extension is the biggest storyline for the Bills.
“Sometimes, the storylines surrounding minicamp don’t have anything to do with play on the field, but rather simply if a player shows up,” Sullivan wrote. “For Buffalo, the status of James Cook could take center stage next week as the veteran back seeks a contract extension. Cook, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, has not participated in OTAs thus far. If he skips out on minicamp, that’ll add even more fuel to the fire and put him in the crosshairs of a fine. If he shows up, it could be an opportunity for the two sides to hammer out the parameters of a deal.”
It would be great news if the Bills and Cook could agree to a new deal before the season starts, which would indicate that the two parties are on good terms.
If the two parties can’t reach a new contract before the start of the season and Cook doesn’t hold out, he might play a little cautious, knowing one injury could ruin his career and cost him any chance of a big payday next season.
The Bills and Cook will be something to watch for the rest of the offseason and even into the season if the two can’t agree on a new deal.
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