It seems everyone wants to play with Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders, which could mean a slew of great players at each position for the 2025 season.
So with Daniels set to enter Year 2 of his rookie NFL contract, and Washington already in win-now mode after reaching the NFC Championship Game in his rookie season, a Sporting News reporter floated a potential deal where the Commanders would land James Cook in a trade with the Buffalo Bills.
Cook is currently set to enter the last year of his rookie contract but is holding out either for an extension or a trade and extension after his breakout season in 2024. Cook had 16 rushing touchdowns and two touchdown receptions, plus 272 rushing yards and three scores in the playoffs.
Why Would The Commanders Trade For James Cook?
Washington is in phenomenal shape, salary-cap wise, though it does have a talent-laden running-back room, keyed by Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler.
All three backs are slated to become unrestricted free agents after the 2025 season. Although Robinson has topped 700 rushing yards in each of his first three seasons, and has 15 rushing touchdowns and five more receiving scores since Washington picked him 98th overall in 2022, he has missed at least three games in each year.
Ekeler has been more of a change-of-pace back since signing a two-year, $8.4 million contract with the Commanders before the 2024 season. He had more receiving yards (279) than rushing yards in 2024 (260).
Still, Washington wants to run the ball more, since it ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards (2,619) a year ago. Daniels led the Commanders in rushing yards (891) thanks to the team’s penchant for read-optioning, yet that could be unsustainable since they will want to keep their young, franchise quarterback on the field.
Adding a solid running back like Cook — who has been playing with arguably the best read-option QB in football, Josh Allen — could upgrade Washington’s entire running game and keep Daniels out of harm’s way.
What Would The Commanders Give Up To Get James Cook?
According to Jarrett Bailey of Sporting News, all Cook would cost is two draft picks, and Washington could also receive a fourth-round pick back.
The deal floated Monday involved Cook and a fourth-round pick going to Washington for a third-round pick and a sixth-round selection at the 2026 NFL Draft.
“The Commanders are clearly going all in to take advantage of Jayden Daniels’ rookie contract,” Bailey wrote. “Cook leading the way in the backfield with Terry McLaurin and [Deebo] Samuel serving as Daniels’ top targets would make the Commanders even more dangerous.”
Still, the Commanders aren’t the only team referenced in the story, since the Chicago Bears, Arizona Cardinals and Jacksonville Jaguars are also discussed as potential landing spots for Cook.
But the Commanders are one of the few teams referenced in the story that would not be required to offload a running back in exchange for Cook — the Cardinals being the other.
Cook sat out Buffalo’s OTAs and is unlikely to report to training camp without a contract. If Buffalo continues to balk, a trade seems likely.
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