Many Buffalo Bills fans woke up to a fantastic surprise on Wednesday morning. Running back James Cook agreed to a four-year, $48 million contract, ending any standoff he had with the team.
Cook’s contract talks were the story of the Bills’ offseason, with his deal coming to an end after the season. The 25-year-old was looking for a new contract for the last six months. He headed to training camp a few weeks ago and started practicing. But last Sunday, Cook decided he wanted to sit out practice, and he did the same on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
James Cook is Ready to Play Football in 2025
However, things started to point in the right direction on Satruday when Cook showed up in full uniform for the first preseason game. The two-time Pro Bowler didn’t play in the contest, but his presence was a huge deal.
On Tuesday, the Bills returned to practice, and so did Cook. There was no agreement announced on a long-term deal for Cook, but something was going to happen. Less than 24 hours later, the news broke that Cook will be staying with the Bills for another handful of seasons.
The Bills have their band back together for many years to come. Buffalo is one of the few teams that can win the Super Bowl this season, and Cook is going to be a reason why they can.
After practice on Wednesday, Cook spoke to reporters and was excited about his new contract. Cook was asked why he held in before agreeing to a new contract.
“Just trying to protect myself, trying to stay healthy and get everything before I go out there and play with a clear mindset,” Cook said via Alex Brasky.
Cook Offers Seven-Word Response on New Deal
Cook holding in instead of holding out was a significant deal. Many players who are looking for a new contract hold out, which means they don’t show up to join the team at all. Instead, Cook was holding in, which means he was at practice but not participating. Players decide to hold in so they can be around the team without risking injury during practice.
Now that Cook has gotten done with all the contract negotiations, it’s time to hit the field. During his post-practice press conference, he said, “We paid now. Let’s go play football. ”
It’s nice to see Cook and Buffalo put all the contract talks aside before the start of the season. The Bills don’t need any drama going on since they could be holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the end of the season.
Usually, teams with less drama surrounding them make it far in the postseason. Now that there isn’t any drama with Cook’s contract, the Bills don’t have anything to worry about this season.
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